In the End
by Stelthykat
Summary: At the end of Brotherhood we saw Ed and Al beginning a family. But what happened during their adventures to the East and West? The brothers' travels continue on another path, and lead them into another sinister plot, one that might lead to their demise...
1. Chapter 1

In the End:

Prologue: The beginning of the End

***Reviews are more than welcome as I'm trying to improve my writing in general! enjoy! Also! Before I forget: the rating may change to a higher one… I've no clue when but it might. This fic takes place after the 2nd anime and manga so I would personally suggest finishing those because of spoilers!**

Edward Elric was in a foul mood.

The roof wouldn't fix itself (or allow itself to be fixed). The porch's room was leaking and Granny had bitched at him to get it fixed, and on top of it all Al was inside, eating apple pie and trying to fix the new pipes in the kitchen which brought in heat with his alchemy. Edward huffed and stretched, allowing himself to glare momentarily at the skyline.

"Enough of this!" with a frown he brought his hands together in a clap and touched them gently to the roof. The only thing that happened was a small cloud of dust rose up. "Well," he straightened up and rolled his eyes with a small, almost bitter, smile, "Worth a try."

It was gone. Alchemy was gone. He'd given it up to save Alphonse. Not that he would _ever_ change that, but by god, it felt like a part of him had been ripped away and he could never get it back.

"The roof not cooperating again?" his head turned to focus on Alphonse Elric. His brother had grown up finally. The metal skin of the armor was replaced by flesh and blood which was tan from the work that they did outside during the mild summers. Alphonse smiled at his brother and hopped onto the roof.

"Does it ever?" Ed rolled his eyes and sighed. "Sure is pretty out here." He looked and gestured at the midday skyline.

"Yeah…" Alphonse held up a hand to his forehead to block the sharp sunlight. "It's good to be home finally." Edward nodded.

_We've been trying for so long,_ he thought, casting a sly glance at Al from the corner of his eye, _we've given up so much and fought so hard only to come back here._ He blinked the sun out of his eyes and felt a part of him (maybe his soul) shudder as he recalled the last transmutation he ever preformed. It had felt right, the familiar sensation of heat and combustion reactions flowed through him. It was natural, Edward Elric had never been without those feelings, without the constant trill of chemicals reacting in his body, which he could use alongside alchemy. Only now he couldn't.

"I-" he frowned and lowered his gaze as Alphonse glanced at him curiously. "Never mind." Ed smiled to himself, giving himself a little mental bitch slap. _He just got home, he has his body. The last thing Al wants to do is go on some half baked adventure that could take another two years!_ _We haven't even gone back to Central…_ he added as an afterthought.

Alphonse smiled at him and turned back to the skyline. "I've been thinking about going to Central." He felt Ed's eyes stare at him.

"But we just got back!" Ed's voice took on the familiar high pitch tone of exasperation. Alphonse laughed at his older brother. "You just now can move around normally and-"

"And you wanna come too?" Alphonse cocked his head and stared long and hard at his brother. _I know you Ed,_ he thought tiredly, _I know that this…. 'home life' is killing you, even though you fake it. You were born to travel…. And do alchemy…_ Al debated telling Ed about his reasoning for going, about how he knew Ed was taking the lack of alchemy and home life; but with all of his years traveling alongside Ed he knew one thing: when prompting Edward you had to be very delicate and let him find out your reasoning, otherwise he became stubborn and wouldn't budge. And _that _was a trait that Alphonse blamed the military for.

"I don't know about you Al but I just got home and I want a nice long relaxing rest!" Edward finished his rant and sat down heavily on the roof. "Damn leg," he muttered, stretching out the sore limb.

"C'mon Ed!" Alphonse chided, "We've never taken an actual vacation before! Y'know, gone and seen sights an stuff!" Edward looked at his beaming little brother and sighed.

"You're not gonna drop this, huh?" he smiled back, a genuine, true, not faked smile.

"Nope." Al grinned, _Just a little more, one more push and he'll come along…_ "And I'm going with or without you." He could see the little stray hair on the top of Ed's head stand straight up at that thought.

"Well," Edward looked at Al with a smile, one hand gently rubbing his automail knee. "Good thing I'm coming then." Ed stretched out his hand to Al, fingers twitching.

"Need help up?" Al cocked and eyebrow and gently grasped Ed's cool hand. The hand that had once been automail was always cool now. They'd been told some medical term for it but neither had cared enough, or really wanted to remember.

"It's gonna rain tonight, I _know _it!" Ed groaned, pulling himself up with the help of Al's hand.

"You've been saying that for a couple of days now." Al laughed, walking over to the edge of the room and hopping off of it. He heard Ed land behind him and winced ever so slightly as he heard his brother curse in pain.

"Damnit!" Edward spat, leg on fire with pain and the automail emitting a groan and creak of metal.

"Maybe you should get that checked out brother." Al cast him a pleading glance. "Granny and Winry would be happy to look at it." Edward glared at him.

"It's fine, just the weather, that's all!" Al shrugged in response to the snap. Whenever Edward was in pain he tended to get moody and snappy, not that Al blamed him.

"Okay, okay," Alphonse walked into the house and held the door for his now limping brother, "Then we wont tell them." He purposefully made his voice louder so that Pinako and Winry would hear their conversation. _Sorry Ed, it's for your own good._ He thought, apologetically.

"What's wrong Ed?" Pinako asked, Winry's gaze traveling to the automail.

"Nothing!" he shakily replied, "Just aches and pains!"

"Edward." Both of the women's tones left no room for argument.

"My leg just hurts okay?" Ed straightened up (he loved his height) and strode towards his room upstairs. "It happens." He exited with a flourish and Alphonse looked up the stair case, willing his brother to come back down and act rational… well…. As rational as Ed could be.

"What's up Al?" Winry asked, turning her attention back to her coffee and sighed before taking a small sip.

"I told him I wanted to go on a trip." Al waited patiently for her to ask where or why.

"Oh." She offered another small sigh and kept her blue eyes focused on her cup.

"Where to Alphonse?" Pinako asked, her voice somewhat hesitant. "You two just got back your bodies and have recuperated." She turned and looked up at him, her eyes tired.

"I know, but I guess now it's in our blood." Alphonse smiled down at her, "And besides," his eyes took a more serious tone and he looked up where Ed had disappeared, his voice lowering, "you know how much it's killing him to just sit around and not do anything." Pinako nodded and slowly walked back to her seat next to her granddaughter.

"We all knew that you two are drifters." She smiled up at him and finished with a laugh, "Heaven forbid you two stay around long enough to _settle_ down." Alphonse laughed in return. Then he continued up the stairs to Ed's room.


	2. Chapter 1: The start of a journey

Chapter 1: The start of a journey

Alphonse opened the door to their room and looked inside. Edward sat with his back to the door, and Al could clearly make out the shuddering that his brother was trying to control.

"Ed?" Al walked into the room and softly closed the door. His older sibling curled tighter around his outstretched metal limb and the shuddering stilled. "Why don't you come on down stairs and have Pinako take a look at it?" Al decided that the best way to get Ed downstairs and or calmed down was to talk slowly and concisely.

"It's just arthritis Al." Al winced at the strain in his brothers voice. "That's all." Edwards voice was going quiet, complacent. And that was definitely _not _the Ed who had saved his brother _twice_.

"Then get some pain killers or something stronger and then we're going to Central." Alphonse was somewhat surprised how demanding his voice sounded. "C'mon. We can't live like this, you know we can't." He sat down next to Ed and shoved him slightly. "We're not ready to settle down." Edward turned to his brother and stared at him, breathing softly strong and eyes flaming.

"You're right." Edward blinked and stood up with only a slight wince of pain. "Al," he smiled at his younger brother and offered a hand to help him up. "We're not." Alphonse took the hand and got up, standing in front of his brother. "Al?"

"Yeah Ed?" Edwards face grew downcast.

"I-I don't know how to say this, and I don't know if I can even make it sound like I…"

"Just spit it out Ed." Alphonse smiled sadly. _You miss alchemy…._

"I miss alchemy." Alphonse put a hand on Edwards shoulder and smiled.

"I know." _You gave it all up to save me. Everything would have been given to you on a platter, glory, fame, fortune… but you gave it up, for me. _

"And…" Edward looked at Alphonse, his eyes slightly glistening with tears. "Al, I miss it so much. And I'm beginning to feel… not like me." He looked at his younger brother, then turned to get his suitcase.

"But you are still you." Alphonse tried to consol, turning and getting his suitcase as well. "And I don't think that we've bought a train ticket just yet." He laughed as Edward threw in the last of his clothes and turned to face Al, a finger pointing at him.

"And when has that _ever _stopped us before?"

"We don't have a plan-"

"I stand by my statement!" Edward smiled softly. "Besides," his voice turned wry, "I know a certain someone who's in contact with a Xingeese Princess!" Alphonse turned a slight shade of red and turned away.

"You can't honestly think that I'm going to sponge off of Mei and all of the royals, right?"

"Why not?" Edward cracked the door open and gave a mock glare. "As I recall that bastard Ling sponged off of us since we met him!" Al smiled back, shutting and locking his suitcase and gesturing towards downstairs.

"Though you have a point, let's go downstairs and eat first, then we can head on out to Central." Al left his suitcase on the bed. "Besides," he walked quickly down the hall and steps, determined to for once beat Ed to lunch, "We've gotta say goodbye to Granny and Winry!" the clunk of Edwards feet resounded against the floor boards as he made his way down the hall. 

"So when are you boys leaving?" Pinako asked, watching Ed intently as he shoved his milk away.

"Today." Edward drawled out, getting a concerned glance from Winry.

"So soon?" she looked at Al who nodded.

"We figured it's best to start early." He grinned foolishly at them both in turn.

"What are you two up to anyway?" Winry asked, cocking her head and taking a small bite of her pie.

"We're gonna go explore all the different countries." Alphonse looked to Ed. _And find a way to get you back… maybe not to Alchemy, but I will give you something close Ed…_ Edward beamed back, a half hearted grin.

"Yup," he stretched, giving a nonchalant sigh and looking out of the corner of his eye at Winry and Granny's expressions.

Winry had one of disbelief, well hid, Edward could see her disappointment that he - they wouldn't be staying and settling down. Pinako, well, her face was as compassionate as it had ever been.

"You two be careful, ya hear?" she barked, lighting her favorite pipe and inhaling the tobacco inside of it.

"Sheesh! Arent we always?" Ed gave a small scoff and looked at Winry. "And I promise we'll write and come back a lot, okay?"

"Yeah Ed." She gave another smile and nodded at them. "Now go on!" Alphonse smiled up at her, almost apologetically. "Heaven forbid that you guys stay in one place for longer than a year!" she got up and began to clear the table, a Winry sign that the conversation was done and over with.

They stayed put for a while, taking in everything for a final time. The smell of gears and machinery, the sound of cogs and crackles of wood stoves and fires. The slight antiseptic smell towards the operating rooms.

"We feel kinda bad for running out on you two." Al offered, breaking the silence and ignoring the clanking of dishes being washed.

"Nonsense." Pinako smiled at the brothers. "You boy's do what you have to do." She walked into the kitchen. "Just don't cause trouble at the train station Ed." And with that she was in the kitchen, the sounds of the dishes being washed resumed.

Ed grinned at her back, then trudged up the stairs. "C'mon Al!" he called down, his voice getting more joyful by each passing second. "We have a train to catch!" Al gave a small, thankful smile at the two women and followed his brother up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 2: Train Ride

Chapter 2: Train Ride

***I apologize for the format of this fic… the website is going all weird on me….Also: sorry if the characters seem really ooc... I'm trying my hardest but they don't want to cooperate!**

"Brother!" Alphonse continued to run, casting a quick glance back to his tiring brother. "Hurry or we're gonna miss the train!"

Edward huffed, "I'm coming! Jeeze!" he mumbled the rest to himself, "We spent enough time running for our lives and catching trains, surely we could take a break just _once_!" nonetheless he picked up his pace, the automail leg creaking and pounding the earth with its familiar stride.

Usually (meaning under any _normal_ circumstances) Ed and Al would already be ushered to the train station by Granny and Winry and be seen off with waving hands. But as of a last minuet automail surgery the two had been preoccupied and bade goodbye whilst scrubbing their entire arms with betadine. That alone had made the brothers somewhat late, and now the months of no running around and fighting had allowed their stamina to drop, that was what was making them almost miss the train.

The road to the Rizenbool train station was a dirt one. Down it the brothers ran, the surrounding fields held the caws of numerous birds, all wanting a share of the crop, and holes were absently scattered through the road. Alphonse reached the station first, rushing up to the counter he sighed as the train whistled again.

"Alphonse?" the woman – _Ruth- _Al reminded himself, asked. Her brown hair was pulled into a tight bun and her blue and gold uniform was slightly dusty from the air. "What's the matter?"

"Train. Tickets." He breathed, desperately trying to catch his breath. He pointed hastily at the train. "Going- to Central."

"Again?" her voice seemed doubtful. Al breathed out harshly and smiled back. "You two only just got back, why not stay and relax?" he shook his head quickly as she questioned him.

"We're gonna go and visit… some friends." He handed Ruth fifty-two cens and smiled as Ed stumbled up beside him.

"Well, you two take care." She passed Alphonse the tickets and looked at Ed in mock sternness. "And you take care of your brother." Edward casually waved back (his breath hitching) and walked towards the train with Al and suitcases in tow.

"Yeah, yeah." With those final words Ed climbed onto the train and into the first available compartment, rubbing his eyes as he did so.

"Where should we go when we get to Central Ed?" Al sat down across from him and set his suitcase on the floor beside Ed's.

"I don't know…" Ed looked out the window. Their bodies didn't flinch as the train gave a protesting creak and jolted, slowly began to move and gaining speed as it fled form the Rizenbool station.

"Edward?" Al asked, leaning his head on the gently vibrating window. He frowned for a moment and pulled his head up. Unlike Ed who could sit for hours like that, leaning against the window pane and staring at Al through half lidded eyes.

"Yeah?" he smiled at his brother. _It was worth it Al…_no regret, no remorse. Having Al back, loosing alchemy, it was all worth it. In the end there wasn't a single thing Edward Elric would have changed about that day… except for the casualties… except for the death and destruction.

"This'll be our first time going back." Al remarked, reclining back in his seat and stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Yeah." Ed looked at him and smiled, his eyes shining. "I wonder what everyone's been up to

"Me too," Al looked at his brother and smiled softly, turning towards the window. Alphonse sighed and watched the orange sky in the distance. "Isnt it beautiful?" he murmured, laying down on the seat so that he could look out the window comfortably.

"Sure is…" Edward closed his eyes, his breathing slowed. The soft clanking of the gears in his automail were somehow reassuring. _Clink, clink, click, clink._ Soft sounding, but powerful, powerful enough to give someone a new take on life, a new chance to move forward.

"You know," Al remarked after a moment of silence, "don't you? What the people from Xing say about the sky, right?"

"No." Ed's eyes remained closed, his legs drew up against his body and his pony tail was loosened from it's firm hold.

"Red sky in the morning sailors take warning," Alphonse recalled from memory, "Red sky at night, sailors delight."

"Where ever did you hear that?" Ed cracked an eye open and looked at Al skeptically, "Some fortune teller?"

"No." Al stifled a small scoff, "Mei told me when I was in the hospital. You remember when she came to say goodbye and you fell asleep?" Al breathed in, recalling the sight of Mei staring out the window intently, murmuring the old saying in Xingeese and then (when Al had insisted) translated it for him, all to the snoring of Ed.

"So the sky's telling me right now I'd better be thankful, cause it's all gonna get better from here on out?" Ed smiled wryly, his voice getting sleepier.

"At least tomorrow." Al smiled back, then turned back to the window and sky. "Then again…" he shrugged, keeping his eyes focused on the slowly darkening sky, "When have we ever not thwarted destiny, intentionally or unintentionally?" he turned a final time to his brother, only to find him asleep.

Alphonse rolled over and buried his face into the back of the seat. "Night brother." He murmured, closing his eyes and letting the surge of the train lull him into blissful sleep. "Sweet dreams."


	4. Chapter 3: Strange Welcoming

Chapter 3: Strange Welcoming

If there was one thing that Alphonse Elric hated about trains it was when something went wrong.

"Help!" a distant scream woke Al out of his deep sleep. The train had stopped. "Please! Somebody! Help me!" another sharp scream, this time followed by a cry of pain erupting sharply from beside him.

"Damn rack." Edward muttered, running his fingers through his aching scalp and breathing harshly out of his nose.

"You okay?" Al kept his voice low.

"Yeah." Ed rubbed his head and winced, then looked towards the door. "I just hit my head on the luggage rack."

"PLEASE!" the harsh sobbing had come to a stop by their door. The voice (masculine and high pitched by the sound) was so close that they could hear the panicked breath after every word, and moments later see the thin door shaking as rapid knocks collided with it. "HELP!"

Without another moment's hesitation Ed crossed the floor and flung the door open, standing back and raising an eyebrow in approval as Al took his once used alchemy stance, then grasped the front of the figure and tugging it into their compartment and closed the door once more. The years had made them paranoid and now was a perfect example.

The form lay shivering and gasping by their overturned suitcases, clutching at his chest and panting out murmured thanks. Alphonse didn't back down, his hands still poised to clap and looking at the figure with suspicion.

"Are you okay?" Ed asked, slowly leaning over and gently putting a hand on a shoulder. "What happened?"

"After me…" the figure coughed harshly and rolled over. Edward and Alphonse gasped. A young boy, no more than twelve or thirteen lay in front of them, fear clear in his eyes. "They're after me." Short, brown hair, thickly matted surrounded a tan face, numerous scars surrounding the eyes which were the brightest green the brothers had ever seen.

"Who?" Al asked, his posture relaxing ever so slightly.

"I-I-" the figure began to shake. "I- I don't know." More shaking and the boy rolled onto his side, revealing a tattered knapsack. "But I _know _they want it…" green eyes darted to Ed's and pleaded. "Keep it safe!"

Edward nodded once and felt his posture tighten as the boys eyes rolled back in his head and he slowly fell back to the side, breathing shallow and almost nonexistent.

"Is he okay?" Alphonse asked, stepping forward and kneeling by the boy's head as quietly as was possible.

"I don't know…" Edward knelt at the boy's side and hesitantly pressed his fingers to the boy's neck. _Heartbeat… feel a heartbeat and that's good. _He licked his lips. _One, two, three, four, five, six, _he mentally counted. _How fast is it supposed to be?_ Edward swallowed the lump in his throat and put his other hand on the boy's forehead.

Hot. The boy was positively burning up with a fever.

"He's got a fever." Ed sighed, pulling his hand away and looking at Al. "But his heart's beating at least."

"We've stopped." Al commented, the unspoken concern in his voice. "And this stranger just happens to stumble in?"

"Good thing he's traveling with us, huh?" Ed looked at Al. "The doctors in Rizenbool asked us to escort him here for further medical care, right?" Alphonse smiled at his brother.

"We've got to get off the train. And if we're not in Central then we need to get there, quick."

"Way ahead of you little brother." Edward walked back over to the door and flung it open, revealing two soldiers, dressed in the formal blues of the Amestrian military staring at him with a mixture of shock and awe.

"Edward Elric?" the tallest, most muscular one gasped, tears forming in his eyes. "Is it really you?" Edward's eyes widened and blinked as he took in the form of Major Armstrong.

"Ed?" the other soldier, shorter with two toned blond and brown hair cocked his head, cigarette hanging limply in his mouth.

"Major? Lieutenant?" Ed asked, his voice soft. "What are you two doing here?"

The soldiers eyes slowly looked over Ed's shoulder, focusing on the boy laying on the floor, Alphonse looking worriedly down at the kid.

"There's been some trouble here in Central lately." Havoc mumbled around his cigarette.

"Too bad." Edward gave a small, almost sympathetic smile, "Out in Rizenbool we really don't hear a lot about this place."

"Is that so?" Armstrong lowered his gaze to the floor.

"What brings you to Central Ed?" Havoc nodded to the boy in the compartment and gave an unsure smile at Edward.

"We were traveling here to finally get in a vacation, when we got saddled with this kid." He gestured behind him nonchalantly and shrugged. "He needs a doctor." An explanation that held a dual meaning. Edward only hoped that the two would understand.

"What good Samaritans you boys are!" Armstrong bellowed out overenthusiastically and overly loud. "Helping the innocent children and people of our world!" Ed smiled sheepishly and stood aside, his posture still wary.

"Yup. That's us." His eyes flashed. Taking a quick look at Al, still trying to help the boy, and the two soldiers (_friends_, Edward reminded himself), giving him worried smiles and concerned looks.

"Brother-" Al sputtered, his eyes widening and his voice cracking, "I think he's dying!"

Ed felt his eyes travel to the boy's stomach, smelled the tall tell tang of copper beginning to drift through the air and gave an imploring look to his friends. "Getting into trouble wherever we go." He frowned. "Where's the nearest doctor?" Edward moved aside and allowed Armstrong to pass by.

"The nearest one we can trust," Havoc watched intently as the Major gently picked up the boy and turned to walk out of the compartment, "is a few blocks away." His gaze softened as he looked at Ed, and then Al. "You two are looking better." He allowed them to exit, luggage in hand, first.

"I suppose." Ed cast a quick glance at Al, then down to Havoc's legs. "I see your up and about."

"Yeah." He smiled. "Dr. Marcho fixed me up." He picked up the pace, almost trotting to stay beside Major Armstrong's rapid pace.

"Who's the boy?" Al asked, gently pulling his coat closed to hide the small blood stain. "He was so frightened."

"I can't tell you here." Havoc put emphasis on the word 'here' and gently opened the exit door for Armstrong and his charge. "It'll have to wait until we're back at Central Command." Ed frowned.

"Just so we're clear, on a scale of one to ten how much trouble has there been?" there was a hint of worry in his tone.

"Probably about fifteen." Havoc ushered them to a black military car and frowned, "You two want to stay in the backseat with him?" he thought it only right to give them the option. After all, they hadn't volunteered to be involved in this mess.

"Sure." Alphonse climbed in and gently helped Armstrong position the boy so that he was laying comfortably enough. Edward climbed in next, grimacing as Havoc gave him his blue jacket.

"Put pressure on the wound." His eyes were sympathetic and Edward refrained from gagging as he pressed his hands onto the boy's bleeding stomach.

_Come on! _He chided himself, _You've seen more bloodshed than most will ever and you've got to do this!_ He firmly pushed on the wound and jerked slightly when the car door slammed and the boy sucked in an unconscious breath of pain.

The car rocked as the two older men got in and Armstrong turned as much as he could in the tiny area to face them.

"It won't be long you two." He turned back around and sighed as the car took off as fast as possible. "We'll be there soon."

Edward looked at Alphonse and then flashed his gaze to the pack. Alphonse trailed his hand downwards, gently pulled the sack away from the unconscious boy and nestled it down by their suitcases.


	5. Chapter 4: Reunions

Chapter 4: Reunions

The drive to the doctor was mostly silent. Edward concentrated on not vomiting all over the poor kid _and _the military car. He kept his eyes focused on the wound, nearly invisible through the dirty cloth and kept pressure upon it.

"How far away are we?" Alphonse chocked out, his face turning into a slight grimace as the boy moaned again. "And what's going on?" his eyes flashed from the boy to the backs of the soldiers heads.

"I promise we'll explain everything when its safe Alphonse." Armstrong sighed, his blue eyes characteristically flooded with unshed tears. "It sure is good to see you boys though." He gave a half hearted smile towards them and turned his attention back to the houses.

"Here we are." Havoc pulled the car over to the curb and looked around. "It _seems_ clear. Major?" he looked compellingly at Armstrong and then back out of the window.

"I'll be right back." Armstrong climbed out of the car and walked up to the adjacent house, a nervous air around him.

"So where are we taking him?" Ed looked out, trying to make out the figure hidden in front of Armstrong and raised an eyebrow.

"Brother?" Al looked at Ed and then out the window. "Isn't that?"

"Doctor Knox." Havoc climbed out of the car and waved casually, leaving his door open as he did so.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure?" Dr. Knox hadn't changed much. His hair was a bit grayer, but his thin, lanky face was a little more filled out, and his sarcasm was still present.

"Relax," Havoc raised a hand, cigarette slipping ever so slightly, "We've just got some," he gestured to the back, "thankful customers." Dr. Knox shrugged and walked back inside.

"Come on then." He scoffed, leaving the door open, "Like I had anything better to do with my retirement."

Edward hesitated for a moment before climbing out of the car. With how this… incident was unraveling the last thing he wanted was to attract attention to himself and thus the kid.

"Let's hurry and get him inside." Havoc looked at Ed gratefully, "Mind helping?"

"Yeah." Ed held the kids feet while Havoc pulled him out, gently supporting his head as the two carried him across the threshold and into the living room.

"Set him on the couch." Dr. Knox, his arms heavily coated with suds nodded towards the leather couch.

Gently laying the boy down, Edward took a moment to survey the apartment. The last time (god had it really almost been a year?) he'd been in here the place had looked like a bomb went off. Boxes everywhere and plaster chipping the place looked everything but what is was now.

"Looks different." Ed remarked, looking at Knox with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Yep. My wife moved back in a few months ago." Knox made his way over to the deathly pale child and opened an eyelid, shining a light into the eye. He felt the skin and made a note of the heat radiating off of the boy.

"How is he Doctor?" Alphonse asked, his voice cracking slightly. Dr. Knox turned at the sound of Al's voice.

"That you Alphonse?" he chuckled wryly. "So they weren't lying when they said that you'd gotten a real body." Alphonse gave a sheepish smile in return.

The dark skinned boy moaned in discomfort as Knox put a hand on the wound. Knox pulled the raggedy shirt up and inspected the wound.

Red and swollen with infection it was a perfectly round hole. The wound was puckered around the edges, slightly bruised and a small metal shard led Knox to the only possible conclusion.

"There's the bullet." Knox pulled a pair of tweezers from the side table and probed the area. "I'm going to remove it." He looked at Edward. "Hold him down." Edward nodded once, and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders, pressing gently down and preventing the boy from squirming away.

Knox let his eyes travel to Edwards flesh arms and ventured, "I guess it's true about you too huh?" he raised an eyebrow and turned his full attention back to his work, gently moving aside tissue and muscle to get a firm grip on the bullet, then pull it out as quickly as he dared.

With a _plink_ the bullet landed on the floor, a few small, bloody drops clinging to it and pressed a pad of cotton to it. Knox expertly wound medical tape around the slim waist to secure the bandage.

"Well, he's not out of the woods yet, but at least he should start to heal." The old man slowly got up, mindful to keep his bloodied hands away from anything and walked over to the kitchen area. The sounds of a water flowing rapidly, interrupted at short bursts by hands echoed within the silent house, masking the young boy's pained breathing.

"So I think now we need to talk about the trouble here in Central." Ed watched the Major and Havoc coolly.

"Edward Elric," Armstrong looked at him and Al with uncertainty, "Are the both of you _sure _that you want to be involved?" Havoc nodded.

"I mean, you guys have been through a hell of a lot and I don't think anyone would mind you two sitting out on this one-" Havoc stopped as he caught sight of their expressions.

"I think we were kinda involved when the kid was screaming outside of our train compartment." Edward sighed and Al gulped.

"Besides," Al began, looking at the two with determination, "What good are we if we can't help?" Edward stared at his younger brother.

Alphonse had a point. They'd both continued helping people, even after it had ceased to become a daily occurrence. Call it a new theory or whatever. Al had surmised it as being 'giving' or 'compassionate'.

"Hrm." Armstrong cleared his throat and began. "A few days ago there was an attempted assassination on Fuhur Grumman-"

"I take it he took over in Bradley's stead?" Ed asked, folding his arms across his chest and ignoring Knox when he entered the room.

"Yes." Armstrong looked down at the boy, "All witnesses said they saw a young man with dark skin and piercing eyes before and after the attempt, just meandering around headquarters."

"And if that's not enough," Havoc blew out a small stream of smoke, "We've been having problems with border disputes along Creta." He gestured to the boy, "From what we've been able to gather the assassin, and or this boy, are from Creta's capital." Havoc shrugged.

"But our relationship with Creta has almost always been pleasant!" Ed muttered, "There've not really been any huge uprisings on that border for years. Well, not any major ones."

"So why are there now?" Al cocked his head, his brow drawn into a worried line.

"From intelligence," Armstrong boomed, "gathered by undercover forces, there's a group in Creta's capital that claimed Amestris was a flight risk, that we were and still are planning to destroy them like we destroyed Ishbal." He pulled at his mustache with a worried look to his eyes.

"Yep." Havoc turned to Dr. Knox and grinned, "I'll make sure the Colonel pays you this time."

"Yeah, yeah." Knox looked down at the boy.

"And I'll make sure he includes a bonus for keeping watch over him." Havoc smiled broadly, reminding Ed of some of those persuasive salesmen in Rush Valley.

"Tell him I want a bit extra for the kid bein' a suspect." Dr. Knox looked at Edward and Al and nodded once. "Good to see you two back to normal." His eyes grew sympathetic as his gaze lingered on Edwards right arm, the one which he remembered as being cold and metal.

"Then I guess we'll be on our way." Havoc and Armstrong headed towards the door and waited for Al and Ed, who stood rooted to the spot. "Edward? Alphonse?" they asked.

"Is it true what they said?" Dr. Knox looked drained suddenly, more like a man of his age should look. "That you gave up state certification and went to take care of your brother?"

A look akin to pain crossed Ed's face, his fists tightened almost imperceptibly and he heard Alphonse swallow tightly.

"Halfway," he gritted out, a strained smile crossing his features. "I'm still on the books as a state alchemist." He nodded respectfully to Knox. "Keep him safe, we'll come back later and try to get some answers." Edward made his way to the door. "Until then, I've got some business to attend to before we leave." He made his way out of the door, to the car, and paused, his hands shaking slightly.

_I never did take my name off of the books._ He frowned. At the time there hadn't seemed much of a point. No one was calling him in as he was injured and had to have a few surgeries to remove the disassembled automail parts still in his arm, and when people heard about Alphonse no one had even come to visit them in the hospital (save for Mustang, Hawkeye and crew, but they were themselves in the hospital). _Maybe I didn't because I had the foolish hope that it wasn't gone_.

"Big brother?" Edwards head turned around as he heard Al behind him. "Ed?"

"I'm fine Al." he looked up at Armstrong and Havoc who were slowly making their way into the car, small looks of uncertainty written on their faces.

Ed and Al climbed into the car, carefully making sure that the injured boy's sack was invisible to the military personnel.

"So we're going back to Central Command?" Al asked, trying to break the thick silence.

"Yeah," Havoc smiled, "think of it this way, you two can say hi to everybody again before you head on out."

"Ah well," Ed yawned dramatically and stretched, "I hoped I would be able to just drop off the planet from the military, and Colonel Bastard." Ed groaned.

Alphonse rolled his eyes, "Come on Ed! It'll be nice to see everyone again!" he laughed softly as Ed grumbled something about owing money to the 'penny pinching bastard' and soon the car fell back into silence. Albeit this time though more peaceful and less tense than it had been moments before.

They pulled up outside of the marble building at noon. The building was shining in the sunlight and half of it looked fairly new. Al grabbed the sack and his suitcase and slowly climbed out of the car.

"Just go on up." Havoc called, "I'm pretty sure that _someone _will recognize you!" and with that he pulled away with Armstrong to park the car.

"C'mon Al!" Ed trudged up the stairs, "I guess now we're gonna have to go say hello to everyone." Lugging his suitcase after him Edward Elric entered Central Command for what he hoped would be the final time.


	6. Chapter 5: Retirement

Chapter 5: Retirement and Revelations

A/N: In case I have not stated: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, the only thing I will claim in this is the assassin character

* * *

><p>"Is that the Fullmetal Alchemist?" whispers echoed through the building.<p>

"Is that Alphonse Elric?" Ed concentrated on moving forward, up the stairs and to Mustangs office.

"I heard that he was one of the heroes." More whispers echoed around him and he had to refrain from even _muttering _about how there had been no heroes that day, only selfish desires, and a desperate will to say alive.

"I heard that he lost his alchemy." Now _that _nearly set him off. There had always been an unspoken truce against admitting that out loud. The only time he had even said it was when Al had asked him, and even then, he had said it so quietly that it took Alphonse a minuet to figure out what he had said.

"Edward?" at the sound of his name Edward turned. "Alphonse?" he saw Al cock his head and turn his head to face the person who had spoken their names.

"L-lieutenant?" Edward gasped.

"Miss Riza?" Alphonse gasped. "You look… different." Her blond hair was short, cut to the base of her skull, and her uniform had a new bar on it.

Riza Hawkeye smiled at the boys. "I could say the same for you two." She shifted the paperwork in her hands slightly. "Real bodies aside, you two have grown." Another smile graced her lips as she took in Edwards broadened shoulders, finally a little taller than Al, and Al's filled out face. No longer gaunt and skeletal the younger Elric had grown up into a healthy kid. "So what do we owe the pleasure?" she began to slowly walk back to the office, her gait inviting the two to walk with her.

"We're going on a trip to other countries." Alphonse smiled back, lugging his suitcase and knapsack with him. "We're going to explore and do some research!" Hawkeye smiled at them and sped up a little.

"Yeah, and we figured we might as well get some of our business taken care of." Edward threw his suitcase over his shoulder and stretched. "And while we were on our way we got a little surprise." He yawned and eyed her evenly, a friendly glimmer to it though.

"Surprise?" she asked, face tightening into a frown.

"We ran into the supposed assassin." Alphonse supplied, "and here we are." Hawkeye's face dissolved into a relieved expression.

"You two are alright though, right?"

"Yeah." Ed shrugged, "the kid was hurt pretty bad." His eyes drifted over to meet hers. "So what's been going on in Central?"

She hesitated, stopping at the nearest door and slowly opening it. "I don't want to get you two involved in something that'll disrupt your plans." She held it open for them.

"Y'know, everyone keeps saying that, yet we _are _involved." Ed walked into the room and paused, disbelief crossing his face.

"Fullmetal?" Alphonse bumped into his brothers back, looking over his shoulder to see for himself.

"They let you loose to run around here?" Edward, cynical as always towards their once boss, flung his suitcase down and stared long and hard.

Alphonse looked at the man. Last time they had see him he had been bloodied and sooty from ash and battle. His eyes had also gone grey with blindness. Now however, his eyes were black as night, he was filled out and looked more or less the same since they'd left. Except for the mustache… that was new.

"Why are you back in Central?" Mustang cocked an eyebrow, and then looked at Hawkeye.

"We had some business to take care of before we went on a vacation." Edward scoffed, shrugging. "I see you're looking better." Edward held up two fingers and mumbled, "Count."

"Two." Mustang replied wearily, then turned to Alphonse, "So your business?" he smiled wryly.

Alphonse glanced at his brother who was looking from his fingers to Mustang's eyes in confusion.

"How'd you?-"

"Doctor Marco." Mustang sighed. "He fixed Havoc and me up." Alphonse looked into Ed's face and saw a slight glimmer of gratitude. "Your business?" Mustang looked at Ed and Al again and sighed, "Please tell me you didn't come here to pull yet another crazy stunt."

"I came here to collect my retirement." Edwards voice struck the room with silence. Alphonse looked at his feet.

"Edward?" Hawkeye set the files down on the desk, "What do you mean?"

"I haven't taken my name off of the state certification list." He sighed, "I just got busy. So I'm doing it now." He smiled at them. "Guess I'll be getting my retirement benefits just in time for the trip, huh?" he smirked.

"Retirement?" Mustang drummed his fingers on the desk in front of him. "Are you sure?"

"Well what use am I?" Ed grinned like a crocodile at him, "We can't all be useless just when it suites us to be!"

Mustang growled low in his throat at the word useless. "And you're sure?" he asked, his hand traveled to a lone bunch of paper work, with a hesitant air he drew out a sheet of paper and pushed it in Ed's direction.

"Yeah, I've had my hey day." He approached the desk, looked down at the paper and hesitated. "Where do I sign?"

"Here." Mustang pointed to a line and blinked as the Fullmetal Alchemist, pride and joy of the Amestrian Military, the 'Hero of the People' signed his resignation. Mustang hesitated, catching sight of Alphonse's front, and the slight blood stain that accompanied it.

"What?" Edward stepped back and looked at him, glancing back to his brother.

"Alphonse…. Why is there blood on you?" Alphonse jumped ever so slightly and quickly replied.

"It's fine, really! We just had a run in with the suspected assassin on the train and we helped Lieutenant Havoc and Major Armstrong get him to Dr. Knox." Alphonse looked down at his shirt, his face darkening.

"Causing trouble wherever you go, huh?" Mustang joked, settling down into his desk chair.

"I'm more curious about why the kid was shot and bleeding." Edward settled himself on one of the leather couches and crossed his legs. "And why, if the kid's wanted dead, are you and your men helping him."

"He was shot?" Mustang looked quickly to Hawkeye. "I thought we were in position?"

"We were, sir." She looked at Ed and Al, then the Colonel. "There must have been a third party involved."

"Then," Alphonse took a seat next to his brother, "you weren't the ones chasing him?"

"Alphonse?" Hawkeye asked, moving to stand behind the colonel. "What do you mean, 'chasing him'?" she looked worried, "we couldn't find him until today, and even then we stuck to the shadows." She glanced at Mustang.

"When the kid ran into our compartment he was screaming about needing help, that someone was chasing him." Edward glanced at the colonel. "You sure it wasn't the military?" Mustang nodded once.

"We got an anonymous tip from a certain source that the kid was innocent." He flashed a look at Edward. "It was my job to bring him in discreetly and prevent any harm."

Edward looked at him with a dubious glare.

Mustang sighed, "Believe it or not Edward, we're trying the best we can to right _some _of the wrongs in this country." He stared at Edward with a look that almost resembled pity.

"He's at Doctor Knox's." Edward broke the small, stiff silence and rubbed a hand absentmindedly against his face.

"Good." The colonel and lieutenant finished in unison.

Another bout of silence, thin and deadly. It reminded Alphonse of all the times they'd come in here years ago, when they were both _children_ and Edward hadn't done paperwork, or mouthed off to the colonel.

"So boys," Lieutenant Hawkeye began, smiling slightly at the two of them, "Can we ask where you're going?"

"I'm going to the East, and brother to the West." Alphonse began, smiling back at her.

"That far?" their faces grew slightly astonished. "Why?" she cocked her head and Edward didn't miss the slight click of her boots as she readjusted her posture.

"There were so many people we couldn't save." Alphonse murmured, his hands picking at the drying blood on his clothes.

Hawkeye watched the boys stiffen, Edward growing unusually quiet. The Nina Tucker incident. That case had stayed with those two the same way that the war in Ishval had stayed with her. She frowned slightly and looked at her commanding officer. His eyes were clouded over.

"Yeah!" Edward got up and stretched, "And I think that I'm entitled to a little bit of a vacation after what happened!" Alphonse picked up on the 'are we done yet' tone.

"That you are." Mustang glanced at them and went back to his paperwork.

"So are we dismissed yet or not?" Edward smirked, turning to stride back out of the office.

"It's not my place to dismiss you." Mustangs voice was quiet, his attention seemingly focused on the mountain of paperwork.

"'Kay then," Ed cast a wave goodbye as he walked out the door. Alphonse started after him.

"Alphonse," he turned at the sound of the colonel's voice.

"Yes?" he couldn't hide the slight tone of worry that caked his voice.

"His alchemy is really gone." Alphonse cast a glance at Hawkeye, who looked uncomfortable with the statement.

"Yeah." Alphonse sighed, then turned towards the door. Five simple words had stated an entire matter. Edward Elric, alchemy prodigy and genius had lost something that had made him whole. And it was never coming back.

"Be sure to come by occasionally you two." Hawkeye smiled, resuming her work. "It'll be nice to hear about a success story in this world occasionally." Alphonse smiled back and walked out the door, nearly colliding with Edward.

"Brother?" he groaned, seeing none other than Major Armstrong walking their way.

"I bet if we're quick we can run for-"

"Leaving so soon you two?" the man boomed, clapping them on the shoulder.

"Yeah," Edward laughed, "Early train and all that."

"Ah," the major shook his head. "I've just been informed that your friend from Rizenbool has woken up at last!" he cast a sly glance at Edward and Al, who smirked.

"Yep," Ed stretched and looked back, "We're just on our way to see him." He began to walk alongside Alphonse, out of Central Command.


	7. Chapter 6: Death

Chapter 6: Death

*A/N: So the plot finally evolves! Man... it took long enough!

* * *

><p>Edward Elric looked at the child laying before him with a gaze of compassion. Poor kid had been thrown into this and now was paying the price. Edward sat softly down in a chair across the room and watched as the child opened his green eyes, blinking a few times to try and get his bearings.<p>

"Where-?" he croaked out, blinking wearily up at Edward with glazed over eyes.

"We're at a safe house." Edward gave the most convincing smile he could. "Are you up for telling me what happened?" the child looked down at his lap and slowly began to sit up, wincing every now and again.

"Safe… house?" the kid turned his glowing green eyes to Ed and coughed slightly.

"Yeah," Edward made a move to stand beside him, but was thwarted as the kid growled low in his throat at him. "So what's your name?"

The kid hesitated, running a shaking hand through his hair nervously and glancing slowly up and into Edwards eyes.

"I'm Karon…" he rubbed at his eyes and winced, a hand going to his wound.

"Well, nice to meet you Karon." Edward made no attempt to divulge his name, too many years of having a paranoid (though justifiable) temperament.

"And you are?"

_Well, shit._ Edward gave a weak smile and sighed, "I'm Edward Elric." The kid's eyes widened, the white scars pulling taunt over the skin and he blinked.

"The Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Ed nodded, "At one time." His voice grew tight, remembering the piece of paper that he had signed. "Now enough about me, let's talk about why you were scared earlier." The child frowned.

"They're after me." There was a distinctive southern accent, and a certain slang that Edward couldn't place.

"Who?" Ed flinched as the child shouted. It sounded foreign and had a distinctive southern accent. And was definitely not English.

Karon doubled over, his hands covering his wound as silent tears poured down his face.

"Calm down, I just want to help you." Edward made his way slowly over to the boy, slowly placed his hand on the boys quivering shoulder and even more slowly asked once more, "Who. Tell me Karon, who's after you?"

"The Westons!" the boy put his head in his hands and quivered. "From Western Creta!"

"And who are they-" he felt the alchemic pressure, though strange and new, before he heard the resounding clap of the deconstruction stage. He heard the child scream in agony as his vision went red.

He felt something deeper than his internal organs shift and rip, and god did it hurt. His vision went from red to a deepening black echoed and surpassed only by the pained screams of Karon.

"ALPHONSE!" Edward managed, his brain in a confusion. Fight or flight? Edward felt the cold floor against his cheek and tried desperately to make his limbs function, to move, to save the damn kid! "AL-!" his breath was chocked off as the kids flailing body landed on top of him, cutting off any and all air supply.

"Brother!" Edward felt the footfalls through the floorboards and vaguely was aware that his brother was kneeling beside him, gently moving Karon aside. "Edward!" Ed felt his vision dim and his senses cut out. At least that god awful thrumming of pain was dissipating…. "EDWARD!" he felt a cool hand on his forehead and distantly felt his bones creak. Then all was blissfully black.


	8. Chapter 7: The Horrors of Alchemy

Chapter 7: The Horrors of Alchemy

Edward jolted awake, his nerves on fire. Karon!

"Brother!" Alphonse barked, his voice relieved, "Lie down, you'll only make it worse."

"Make what?" Edward looked down fearfully only to see a white bone protruding through his thigh. "Al…?" he looked into Al's worried eyes fearfully, "What happened to him?" suddenly the world dropped out as a needle pierced through his skin, injecting the sweet tranquility of morphine.

"Doctor Knox?" he could barely make out what Al was saying. "Will he be okay?"

"Let me just set this," a few moments of silence and pressure and then a dull pain and Knox spoke again, "Should be fine." Edward released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in and heard Knox leave. "I'm going to go see what I can do for the kid."

Edward knew that tone. It meant what could be done to make them comfortable. He distantly remembered Winry's parents one time using that tone. A farmer had been caught and drug underneath his plow and they had used that exact same tone when dealing with him. All hope was gone, and now it was up to them only to ease their passing.

And he didn't think that he wanted to wake up before then.

* * *

><p>Blood coated the walls. It seeped through the carpet and stained the good doctors front. And it reeked of copper and phosphate.<p>

"What… what happened?" Alphonse stuttered, at a loss for words. "Where did all the blood-?"

"The kid-" Doctor Knox took a breath and looked at his front, his face drawing into a grim line. "He-" The man glanced down and saw Edward's eyes flash open. A chilled hand grasped for Al's arm as piercing golden eyes bore into Knox's cold ones.

"Don't tell me Knox!" Edward yelped, his golden eyes lit up with fury. "Where'd all the blood come from?" his words were slightly slurred with pain and drugs.

"He-" Knox glanced down at Edward, "I did everything I could." He whispered, sinking into a chair and putting his hands against his face. "It's just like in Ishval."

Alphonse stared at his brother. Edwards face was drawn into a tight line, and his muscles twitched as he tried to get control over his legs to move towards the kid. Gently pushing his struggling brother back down Alphonse wordlessly went to the spare bedroom where the child and Ed had been not so long ago.

Knox had heaved what was left of him the floor. The child's body had jagged chunks missing; he looked like a morbid jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing and his eyes bubbling over to mask the white scars.

Alphonse had quickly made a decision that his brother did not, and would not see that. It was enough to stick with him for a long while, and he would never let it bind to Ed.

"Al…" Ed's voice sounded strained, worried.

_Too much death! _His mind screamed. But Alphonse stayed stoic throughout his harsh breaths.

"It's okay brother." Alphonse gave the blood and carcass a last, long, hard look and bit his lip. There had been a time where he'd been coated in blood, where a woman had been killed inside of him. And this child…. What had he ever done? What justified murder using whatever had been used (though it was beginning to look a lot more like alchemy).

"Is he-?" Alphonse swallowed and blinked back blooming tears.

"Get some rest Ed." He softly padded over to the couch where his brother was laying and put a cool hand on his forehead. "We'll talk later." He loathed lying to Ed, loathed trying to cover up something that his brother would rather be told of bluntly. But Ed needed rest, his leg was broken, set, and the morphine knocking him on his ass for a while was restricting his thoughts.

"Dr. Knox," Alphonse began carefully as soon as he was positive that his brother was asleep. "I'm going to need to call the lieutenant and colonel."

"I guess." Knox looked back towards the bedroom, keeping his gaze focused on the floor. "Just keep in mind that I don't want overrun."

Alphonse managed a small smile, keeping his eyes as clear as he could. "We know." He silently made his way into the kitchen where the only phone was and picked it up, hesitating before dialing in the operator's number.

"Central Command." He said simply, not waiting for the operator to speak. Within a few rings a husky voice picked up, gruff and seemingly lost on what to say.

"Central Headquarters, connection code?"

"Umm…" Alphonse hesitated. "I'm calling for Colonel Mustang. His office." Alphonse paused, sensing the hesitation to give him the number he added, "It's the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Sir!" he could almost visualize the man jumping to attention at the sound of his brothers code name. _News travels slow in the military_. He thought wryly, news of Edward Elric's retirement had not reached anyone's ears but the four who had been in the office.

There was another small click of the number being transferred and Alphonse heard the Colonel's lazy, nonchalant voice come over the receiver.

"I'm telling you now Elric- you may have retired but that does not mean that we're at your beck and-"

"Colonel?" Alphonse ventured, interrupting the rant. "It's Alphonse."

"Alphonse." There was a slight cough and Mustang continued, "What do we owe the pleasure?"

Al wanted to say that it was not a pleasure. That his brother was injured, that his brothers only flesh and blood leg was broken and set, that he was in pain and that he'd just been subjected to whatever had killed their stupid assassin suspect or whatever. Instead he sighed, rubbed the hair out of his face and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Mustangs voice grew worried, as if he could sense that _something _was not right.

"It's about the kid." Alphonse kept his words coded, years of secrecy taking their toll on his psyche about phone lines. "And Edward."

"What happened?" A serious tone now.

"I-we- I don't know…" he bit his lip. "But you may want to see this."

A pause, a few garbled words and then a short, "Fifteen minuets." And then the line went dead.

Alphonse put the phone back onto the cradle and turned to go back to Ed's side. The child was gone… another dead innocent. And his brother had seen it…. His brother had possibly watched the kid die in front of his eyes and been helpless. Alphonse would be lying if he said it didn't sicken him.

"Kid?" Dr. Knox seemed slightly impatient. "Maybe you should get some rest."

"No." Alphonse looked into Ed's drawn face and smiled softly, pulling the blanket up higher onto his brothers chest. "I'm fine. Besides, the lieutenant and colonel will be here soon." He frowned as his brother grimaced in his sleep.

"He'll be out a while." The doctor clarified. "And the leg isn't too bad, it just looks a mess." Alphonse nodded once, thankful for that at least.

"I suppose he was lucky." Alphonse smiled again and sat on the floor below his brother's head.

"Yeah." Knox took in a sharp breath, "his leg's gonna take time to heal, but it'll be good as new in a few months." Alphonse couldn't retain a slight groan at that. He'd be damned if he could keep Edward in bed for that long, or at least still enough to heal.

Alphonse felt himself begin to doze, he allowed it, keeping enough consciousness to tell when something was amiss in the room. Slowly Knox got up and walked towards the door. Alphonse swallowed the tightness in his throat down. Time to get this over with.

"Oh, you're here." Alphonse cracked an eye open to look at the colonel and lieutenant standing in the doorway. He watched their eyes travel to Ed, saw a quick look of concern, and then the gaze shifted to the cracked door of the guest bedroom.

"What's wrong with Edward?" Hawkeye spoke first, testing the waters. Alphonse looked at his brother, then slowly got up.

"Broken leg." Knox supplied, settling back down in his chair.

Her steely gaze flashed at him, then turned soft as she took in Edward and Alphonse. "You two look ragged."

"I bet…" Alphonse smiled grimly. "Do you want me to show you?" he frowned.

"Please, Alphonse." He led the way to where the child lay and stood aside, averting his eyes from the body.

He heard them try and repress the gag that came to their throat, he could visualize their eyes going wide in fear, compassion, and slight, morbid intrigue. And the air in the room tightened, almost like it had in the Nina Tucker case… And then Mustang spoke, his voice shaking slightly.

"My God…"


	9. Chapter 8: Waking Hour

Chapter 8: Waking Hour

There had been horrors created in Ishval. The horrors had been created by alchemy of course. But this…. This hadn't been alchemy. Mustang held his breath as he bent over the warm pile and looked around it.

"No signs of transmutation marks." He looked at Al and stood. "But this… it doesn't feel right."

"I know." Alphonse kept his gaze turned towards the floor. "But it reminds me of alchemy…" Mustang nodded. "What happened exactly?" he procured a small handkerchief from inside his coat and wiped his hands on it, leaving dull red stains behind.

"Brother was talking to him, trying to get some information." Alphonse sighed. "We thought it would be best if he wasn't surrounded by people at first so I was out here with Doctor Knox." Al cast a glance back at Ed. "I heard them scream and came running in…" his hands clenched at the memory. "Edward was on the floor, thrashing like he was having a seizure and the boy…" he looked at the puddle, "he was just- dying…. He stopped screaming when I was checking on Ed and then he just collapsed." Alphonse added quietly, "Knox said that he was still alive… that he died later."

Hawkeye cast a sympathetic look at Alphonse. "You can go take care of Edward, Alphonse." She murmured, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to stay here."

He shook his head, swallowing away the tightness, "No. I want to help." He lifted his head and looked the colonel in the eyes. "If it wasn't alchemy, then what about alkahestry?" their eyes lit up, the new possibility a valid point.

"It wasn't alkahestry." A voice rasped from the doorway.

"Brother!" Al snapped, turning on his heel to chastise his brother. "You should be in-" he stopped when he fully took in Edward's look. His ponytail was loose, his face slightly contorted in pain, and his bandaged leg was held stiff by two canes on either side.

"It didn't feel like it." Edward finished, taking a long hard look at the remnants of the boy. "It was too harsh." He clutched at his thigh, face turned into a frown.

"Maybe you should go back to bed-" Hawkeye stopped as Edward threw her a glare.

"What happened?" he turned to Alphonse, a pleading look that he knew only his brother could see deep in his eyes.

"We don't know." Alphonse took on a somewhat pleading tone. "Now please Ed, _go to bed_."

"I need to know-" he coughed again, grimacing as his leg began to tremble.

Alphonse moved so slightly that it was hard to tell that he was supporting his brother weight to keep him off of his right leg.

"We'll figure it out." Alphonse tried to soothe, "Now get back to bed so that you _can _help us figure it out later." But Edwards eyes never left the corpse, his body shook slightly and with a final, heavy breath he leant on Al, dragging himself back over to the couch, and Knox, who nodded a greeting as he collapsed back.

"Might as well quit fighting it and just let it take its course." The man opened the paper and continued reading.

"I can sleep when I'm dead." Edward muttered, nonetheless closing his eyes and falling back to doze against his pillow. "Karon." Edward muttered, frowning with his eyes closed.

"Brother?" Alphonse asked, cocking his head and ignoring the foot steps behind him.

"He said- said that the… Westons… after him…" his voice lost its tone as his body slipped into a soft sleep.

"Westons?" Mustang and Hawkeye asked, their eyebrows raised.

"From Creta…" Edward's breaths became deeper and Al knew that sleep was imminent.

"Okay…" Hawkeye looked to her boss and then Alphonse, "You should stay here with Edward, take care you two." She glanced back to the bedroom. "We'll have to send someone to come and get him-"

"Thank you." Alphonse murmured, taking his seat beneath his brothers head once more. He breathed in slowly through his nose as they took their leave, trying not to envision the thing… the boy. Alphonse felt his shoulders shake as the image ripped its way through him. Karon… Nina… all those they couldn't save… he turned to bury his face in the couch and felt a few frustrated tears flow down his cheeks. It wasn't fair.


	10. Chapter 9: Nightmares and Dreams

Chapter 9: Nightmares and Dreams

* A/N: Sorry the plot is being sluggish... it's just not cooperating... maybe it's karma for having killed that kid... definitely not procrastination...

* * *

><p>"<em>Why couldn't you save me Edward?" Maes Hughes cocked his head, frowning at Edward. "I had Gracia and my darling daughter." He bared his teeth cruelly, "Yet you had <em>nothing_. You didn't have a family, hell, all you had was Al in that suit of armor." Edward stared at disbelief at him. _

"_I'm sorry." _

"_Everybody's sorry hun." He turned at the sound of the feminine voice. "You two just didn't learn and kept screwing people over." His mother smiled at him, then clapped her hands together in a mock transmutation. "You two never learn." _

"_Mom…" Edward felt his blood run cold. "Why?-" _

"_Big brother?" he turned, fearing the dog-girl that would face him. _

"_Nina…" he turned and gasped. The little girl and her dog were two souls, two bodies, and standing next to them was Karon, his scars whiter than ever. _

"_Big brother, why did you let us get hurt?" _

"_Yes Edward… why did you let me get hurt?" Karon finished, glaring at him, "You could've stopped it. You were in the room when it happened." He looked hurt, dejected. _

"_I-I-" Edward gasped as Hughes wrapped his arms around him and jerked hard, upwards, cutting off his air supply. _

_Everyone was piling onto him, ripping at him with sharp claws, and he didn't have his alchemy to defend himself. Vulnerable… _

"AL!" he sat up quickly and coughed, limply grasping at his leg under the blankets. The harsh dull pain was lingering, and he could feel the limb swelling.

"Brother!" Al was in front of him, eyes alight with worry.

"It was just a dream…" he murmured, lowering his head and feeling his stomach grumble at the smell of food.

"You're okay?" Al asked, stepping back hesitantly. Edward didn't fail to notice that his brothers hands were poised ever so slightly upwards, like he had just finished a transmutation.

"Yeah…" he trailed off, his eyes glazing over as he smelled food. "Who's cooking?" Alphonse chuckled.

"Dr. Knox's wife." Alphonse looked to the kitchen and lowered his voice, "him and his son went to go help Major Armstrong…" Alphonse shifted, obviously uncomfortable with the turn in the conversation.

"Smells good." Ed tried to remark casually, _don't think about it. Don't think about how it felt-_

"Brother?" Alphonse knelt by his head and Ed wondered vaguely how long his brother had been sitting like that.

"Yeah?" Edward laid back down and turned to face his brother, wincing at the pulling at his leg muscles.

"It-" Alphonse hesitated, "I've never seen anything like it." He looked at Edward and smiled, decidedly trying to remove the dark atmosphere. "Come on, I'll go get you some food and you relax." Alphonse moved to get up until Ed's hand grasped his arm.

"What happened to him?" Edward chocked out, his eyes softening, "Please Al… I need to know."

"I don't know…" Alphonse settled back down and stared at his brother, "What do you remember?"

"Seeing him… lying there…" Ed shuddered, then looked up at Al, "then it gets kinda fuzzy…" he leaned back and breathed through his nose.

"Oh!" piped up a voice from the kitchen area, causing the brothers to jump. "You're awake!" looking up Edward saw a graying lady, her face smiling at him as though he were a grandson. "I bet you're hungry." She made her way over with a tray, plates clattered and wiggled as she hurried over.

"Thank you." Al murmured, always polite. He took the trey from her and held it out to Ed, frowning when Edward pointedly ignored the milk. "Ed." He warned, handing his brother a fork and watching him lean up, shoveling food into his mouth as fast as he could. "You should eat slower." Al chided, taking a slow bite and looking at Mrs. Knox with a smile. "It's very good."

"Well thank you dear." She smiled in return and looked at Ed. "My husband said that if you felt up to it you could start moving around with the crutch." She smiled at him and slowly made her way out of the room, offering privacy.

"Crutch?" Ed scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I don't suppose there'd be anyway I could talk you into transmuting my leg?" he joked, looking at Al.

"Don't joke about that Ed." Al gave a short laugh, spooning some more food into his mouth.

"Worth a try though." Edward shot back, retreating back to silence as he practically inhaled more of the food.

"So go our plans, huh?" Al looked at the floor and tapped his foot. "What now?"

"We'll," Edward swallowed and looked at Al with a slight smile, "we'll need to figure out what happened to him." Edward looked down, "I'm sick of people being hurt by alchemy."

"Me too." Al agreed, setting his food aside and murmuring, "Me too."

"We'll catch a train tonight… maybe go visit teacher, then go find some information."

"I do want to go to Xing." Al offered.

Edward wasn't sure what told him that Al wanted to go alone. Looking back on it he guessed that maybe it had been because they knew each other so well that they could just read each other. Something in Al's eyes told him that his little brother wanted to go alone… and Edward had to admit it stung a little.

"And I want to go to the West and South." Edward smiled at him comfortingly and put the dish on the floor. "I think it'll do good to split up- y'know… cover more ground." He saw Al mouth 'thank you' and left it at that.

"So we're gonna go visit teacher?" Al asked after a moment, staring at his brother.

"yeah…" Ed sighed, "It'll be slow though, with this leg." He tapped it gingerly and smiled at his brother apologetically.

"no… it's fine." Alphonse looked at Ed.

"Al…" Edward frowned, a thought came back to him, _It wasn't alkehestry…_ "If what killed Karon wasn't alchemy or alkahestry… than what was it?" Edward looked at Al and put a hand to his head. "Damn it!" Edward opened his mouth to shout another profanity when the door opened to reveal Dr. Knox and another doctor.

* * *

><p>His face scarred and elderly Dr. Marco looked at Ed's leg with skepticism.<p>

"I can patch it up quick, but it won't be pretty." He murmured, laying cool hands on Ed's exposed leg.

"It doesn't have to be pretty, just get me from point A to point B." Ed replied, gritting his teeth together as he felt the usual twist of atoms and materials rearranging themselves. Preforming alchemy on yourself was never a fun experience. It was uncomfortable, it hurt, and you never had a pretty limb afterwards.

"There." Dr. Marco looked at Edward and sighed. "I've repaid you now…" he looked at Alphonse. "You did it." He remarked, nodding once in approval. "I'm happy that if any good came out of that mess that you two received it."

"Thanks?" Al asked, nodding. "And thanks for helping us get out of here quicker." Ed nodded and gently sat up, taking care to lean as much pressure as possible off of his aching limb.

"I felt like I should help you two." Marco looked at Edward. "I suspect that you two are going to head out?" when the brothers nodded he smiled gently, "Then I wish you luck." Edward stood up, leaned on Al and walked towards the door.

"You don't have to leave now-" Knox stopped, seeing Ed's face frown.

"I need to go see someone… speaking of favors…" he smiled gratefully as Al grabbed his suitcase and walked out behind him, offering a small goodbye.

"Brother…" he hesitated, "are we going to see them?"

"Yeah…" Edward hobbled as quick as he could, "Just to check up on them."


	11. Chapter 10: In Memoriam

Chapter 10: In Memoriam

"Edward? Alphonse?" the brothers smiled down at the little girl who was looking up at them.

"Yeah!" they chuckled and Alphonse finished, "I guess we've changed, huh?" the little girl nodded, her pigtails bouncing against her shoulders.

"Yup." She turned and gazed into the apartment, then back at the two. "You wanna come in?" her eyes lit up as familiarity finally arose in her mind.

"Are you sure you're mom wouldn't mind?" Alphonse asked, a little concerned that she wouldn't be happy to see them… after what had happened to her husband Al didn't blame her.

"Nope!" the little girl shrugged and threw the door open, skipping backwards and collapsing on the first chair. "Besides, you two _never _visit!" she clucked in mock anger and smiled at them.

"We've been busy Elysia." Alphonse gave a quick look to Ed, then entered, sitting on the couch.

"And we're gonna be busy for a while longer, okay?" Edward sat next to his brother and let his eyes drift to the mantle. A picture of days long past was held there, a devoted father and husband held a little Elysia with pride in his eyes. Next to him there stood a laughing wife, now a widow, who in those days had had no doubt that her husband would come home safe.

"Promise you'll be safe!" Elysia Hughes huffed, frowning slightly. "And that you'll come visit again soon!" giving a small smile Alphonse chuckled.

"Yeah, we'll do that." He stared at their friends daughter. She had to be about eleven and yet still seemed to retain some childhood innocence.

"Elysia what have I told you about leaving the door-" a middle aged woman, graying but smiling gently walked through the front door.

The air went cool for a moment, then heated back up.

"Edward, Alphonse." She smiled, sitting the bag she had been carrying on the floor and moving to sit next to her daughter. "It's nice to see you two again." Alphonse smiled back, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Edward and then frowning as his brother got up. "And whatever happened to your leg?" she gasped.

"Umm…just a little clumsiness on my part, nothing to worry about." Ed hesitated, then moved towards the door. "I forgot something." With a soft click Edward exited, holding his breath and trying to calm his nerves. This was stupid. How many times had Mrs. Hughes told him it wasn't his fault? _But you did kill him_, whispered a voice, _you lead him into danger and he died for his troubles. _But Mrs. Hughes didn't blame him, Elysia didn't blame him… _but they should_.

* * *

><p>"He still doesn't know quite how to talk to you guys." Alphonse murmured, trying to convey Ed's emotions into words. "He still feels guilty."<p>

"'bout what?" Elysia interrupted, bobbing her head.

"He shouldn't feel that way." Mrs. Hughes looked at the picture. "I know Maes wouldn't want him to."

"He's just not sure how to talk to… you two." Alphonse paused, laughing slightly, "I think in his mind he believes that so many people were hurt and gave up their lives for us that we should repay them."

"Like equivalent exchange?" Gracia cocked her head smiling, "I thought you two didn't agree with that."

"No, not equivalent exchange," Al smiled, looking at the picture as well, "We're going to come up with a new theory, one that adds something of yourself to alchemy." Al glanced towards the door, where he was sure Ed would be listening in.

"I'm glad that some good came of all of it." She murmured, taking in Al's human body for the first time.

"Yeah…" Alphonse looked at her and smiled.

"He still has his metal leg?" Al frowned.

"Yeah, he says it serves as a reminder to keep him out of trouble- and to keep Winry busy!" he laughed, but felt a slight pang as he thought about another thing that Ed had lost.

"And his alchemy?" there it was, the words that made Al cringe every time.

"… Gone…." Alphonse sighed, "He gave it up to bring me back." Alphonse looked at Elysia's questioning face.

"Alphonse?" she asked, eyes alight with curiosity, "Will you do alchemy?"

Part of him wanted to, part of him wanted to clap his hands together and transmute something. But he held back. _Not while brother's around_, he thought.

"No Elysia." He took a quick glance towards the door. _Not while Ed is close enough to feel it happen. _He smiled and gave a final look at the picture of the Hughes family in better days. "Besides," he recalled what Teacher had told them as children long ago, "Alchemy can't be used to create and fix everything. You cant solely rely on it."

Her face went downcast for a brief moment, then turned back into a smile.

"Okay!" she hopped up, turning to her mother and asking, "I'm gonna go play now, okay?" before heading down the hall and into what Al assumed was her bedroom.

"I didn't mean to nib nose." Gracia frowned softly.

"It's fine." Al slowly stood. "I should get going, we have to go and catch a train soon."

"You boys take care, you hear?"

"Yeah." Alphonse gave a small wave.

"And tell Edward," she heightened her voice so that Edward would hear her, "That I don't blame you two. And that Maes would've been happy." She smiled as Al gave her a thankful smile and left, closing the door and leaving her to her thoughts.

_They never quite got it out of their systems dear,_ she looked at the photograph and then imagined the two children she had met years ago, so determined to see change, _So eager to see some good in the world…_ she got up and silently padded over to her daughter's room.

Peering in she noticed her little girl playing with her stuffed animals, humming softly to herself. _They'll never know how much I don't blame them.._ she went in and sat next to her daughter, who smiled invitingly, _how hard it must be…_ she mused, watching her daughter with maternal eyes, _To keep on living when you know that you've caused people misfortune… _She looked up at the sky through the window and wished with all of her heart that the Elric's would always know that at least one person didn't blame them, that they always had a safe house to come to in Central.


	12. Chapter 11: Interlude

Chapter 11: Interlude

* So... funny story why this is days late. I lost my flash drive... ironically enough, it also turned out that this was not on my computer so thus: no chapter. I swear... I turn my back on that thing for two seconds and it disappears into Narnia, and takes a detour through Wonderland.

* * *

><p>Trains were good. Except for the unsettling business of the young Cretian boy, they were peaceful. And after years of traveling and having everything <em>but <em>peace Alphonse enjoyed it.

"I figured we'd go see Teacher, then split up from there." Edward mused, leaning lazily up against the window, his hazel eyes spectating over the passing land on the familiar path to Dublith.

"Sounds good." Al smiled at his older brother and turned his gaze out to the fields. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that it's all over, you know?" he murmured, casting a sly glance at Ed.

"I know…" Edward blinked slowly, "Sometimes it kinda bugs me to. I've spent all this time traveling, my mind set only on one goal and only saw a quarter of the world." He looked at Al and smiled, "There's still a part of me that wants to go out there and see it all." Again his attention turned out the window and lazily closed his eyes. Al too drifted off, watching the sun setting while at the same time thinking about the East. It seemed fitting… that the fabled Elric brothers would travel, almost like the alchemist from the East… from Xerxes… had traveled; spreading alchemy and alkehestry.

* * *

><p>If there was one thing that Riza Hawkeye was now positive of was a phrase that her father had spoken, so long ago.<p>

_"When we alchemists grow complacent we loose our will to live."_ At the time she'd thought that a sorry excuse… a lie. But now, the Elric brothers were keeping their minds busy. Now that Edward had no alchemy he was striving for _something_. And she understood that. Riza knew that Edward lived on alchemy almost as much as she thrived on being a sniper. It was part of who they were, of what made them them.

Hawkeye snapped the clip back into her pistol and aimed it experimentally at the target. How unfair life was. She pulled the trigger and felt a small recoil run through her arm as the bullet lodged itself in the wooden target. She smiled bitterly. Even now Edward couldn't bring himself to regret his decision. After all, it had given him Alphonse back. But still… Riza lined up her shot once more and aimed for the hole. How unfair life was that two children had ended up in that position in the first place.


	13. Chapter 12: Teacher

Chapter 12: Teacher

Standing in the middle of the Dublith train station Edward and Alphonse felt a slight eagerness to see Teacher again. Without a single word Edward took off, his footsteps making a rapid pattering sound almost as if it was rain bearing down on the cobblestone streets.

The boys laughed, flinging themselves around a corner and catching a glimpse of Teachers house. The Curtis residence was not one many people would say was charming. Off to the side was a butcher shop, the smell of fresh cut meat sometimes permeating the kitchen, a small front law with homey flowers that was usually filled up with kids and Teacher, playing or fighting. Edward stopped suddenly by the pristine white gate and looked on with a small smile at the door.

The last time they'd seen Teacher he had just got Al back and was still reeling from the loss of his alchemy.

"_Teacher?" he'd asked, pulling her out into the hall and shaking slightly. _

"_Edward?" she'd cocked her head, her black braids bouncing against her shoulders. _

"_It's gone." He lowered his voice, kept his voice even and looked into Teachers eyes, reading a plethora of emotion written there. _

"_What is?" she blinked, halfway seeming to think he was joking. _

"_Alchemy. Mine." He offered, feeling something in him break at that realization. And she had simply smiled sympathetically, her eyes betraying her calm behavior. _

Edward strode towards the door. He raised a fist and knocked on it, feeling bolder than he ever had before in Teachers presence.

But that went away as Izumi Curtis answered the door with a sharp bark and a steak knife in hand.

The Elric's paled like they had when they were children and waited until she put the blade down before speaking.

"Hey, Teacher." Al stuttered, smiling broadly at her. "How've you been?"

Her eyes softened for a moment and she smiled back. "Good, and you two?" she let her eyes float over towards Edward and she smiled at him. "I see your bags are packed and you seem out of breath." She stood aside and motioned them in. "You're having dinner with us." There was no room for argument in that tone, it was one the boy's knew well.

* * *

><p>"So you're traveling again?" she asked, ripping a potato peel off viciously and running the knife over the vegetable again.<p>

"Yeah." Ed stirred the excess tea leaves around in his cup and watched steam pour out from it. "We figured it be good to do some research." He looked up and saw Teachers clouded over face. "Teacher?" he leaned forward and saw her eyes darken.

"Is something wrong?" Alphonse blinked and gave a weak smile, "We just want to see the world."

"I'm proud of you two." She smiled up at the boys – at _her _two apprentices… at the two boys who she considered like her own. "I hope you know that."

They blanched for a moment, unsure of what to say to Teachers admission of this.

"We know." Edward smiled, "But we were beginning to wonder after all of those times you beat us up-"

"That doesn't mean you can turn into a smart ass Edward!" she snapped, her tone more reminiscent of the one the boy's remembered.

"Izumi?" the familiar baritone voice of her husband, Sig, wafted through the room. "Everything all right?"

"Yes honey, just visitors!" she called out, leaning back to catch a glimpse of her husband. "You'll never believe what the cat dragged in!" the brothers looked up to see Sig standing by Izumi, his face neutral as ever.

"It's good to see you two again." He remarked, placing a huge hand on Teachers shoulder and giving a small smile at the two. "We were beginning to think that you'd never come and visit."

"Well, we've kinda been on our way elsewhere." Alphonse sighed, "I'm on my way to Xing and brother's on his way to Creta." He smiled, "And then Teacher invited us to dinner so here we are." Al sipped at his tea and looked at his older brother.

"What's in Xing that you want to see?" Sig and Izumi asked almost in unison.

"Umm…." Al was unsure of how to reply.

"A princess!" Ed snickered, earning a smack to the back of the head from Teacher and a cool glare from Al.

"I'll go put these on to boil." She looked at Edward, "Come and help me."

"Yes ma'am." Edward stood and went to help her, leaving Alphonse and Sig sitting in a slightly uncomfortable silence.

"Want to tell me what spurred this trip?" she asked, pushing the potatoes into the hot water.

"It's a long story." He admitted.

"Thankfully we've got until dinner's ready." She kept working, pushing some meat into a skillet and turning on the heat.

So Edward told her of Karon. Told her of what the military was up to, of how the boy had been killed, of what he had felt…

"It didn't feel right." He commented, watching as Teacher cut up slices of bread. "It didn't feel like alchemy."

"Alkehestry?" she asked, glancing back at him.

"It didn't seem like it to me." Ed fidgeted.

"What about Nolhestry?"

"What's troll hestry?" Edward cocked his head.

"Nolhestry, Edward." Teacher grasped the knife harder. "It's a Cretian equivalent of alchemy." She pulled the meat out of the pan and tested the potatoes, "Where as alchemy focuses on war, and alkehestry on healing, nolhestry focuses on using pressure, and gasses." She continued her work, her tone calmly implying that that was what it had been.

"I get it." Edward cocked his head. "But, how come I've never read about it before?"

"It's newer." Izumi handed him a plate. "Take this in there for those two." Edward did as he was told and returned quickly.

"Newer?"

"They've been trying to perfect it for years, but if I remember correctly, there were some… incidents." She looked at Edward and grabbed the last plate that was filled with potatoes. "Several of their best researchers died during their experiments and it never quite made a big impact in Amestris." She shrugged and walked into the dining room, setting the food down and taking her seat next to Sig.

"It could do something that horrible?"

"I suppose." Izumi began to serve herself and looked at Edward. "It is not something that I would want to willingly tamper with."

"What?" Alphonse asked, looking to Edward.

"Nolhestry. I think I've found what killed Karon."

* * *

><p>They ate in silence for the remainder of dinner, occasionally one of them thanked Teacher, and soon (after everything was cleared up) they prepared to leave.<p>

"Surely you two cant be leaving?" Sig asked, watching the boys linger by the door.

"Yup… we can make the next train if we hurry." Alphonse smiled at them. "It was good to see you guys again though."

Teacher smiled softly at her two students and pulled them into a hug. "Promise me you'll be careful Ed? Nolhestry is a dangerous thing."

"Yeah," he returned the hug, "You don't have to tell me twice."

She laughed grimly, "Could've fooled me." She embraced Al next, "You too Al. Be careful."

"I will." He returned the hug and slowly backed away.

"Go on then you two," she waved goodbye and watched them depart, "And don't forget to stop by sometime soon!" she called at the last minuet, walking back inside the house.

Yes, pride was one way to describe how she felt about her students. Maternal would be another appropriate word as would sappy. Izumi felt a cough shake her frame and frowned. Damn condition…

She made her way into the kitchen to take her medication when she saw him, laying crumpled on the floor like a child, even though he was by no means one.

"Honey!" she moved towards him and felt another cough grasp her, a familiar warm trickle flowing down her mouth. And it wasn't until she heard a soft clap, felt the air tighten that Izumi knew she had been caught off guard, and it wasn't until she hit the floor, sprawled out next to her husband that she opened her eyes and cursed herself for not warning her students.

* * *

><p>*AN: So if there is any question at all about the bad names I think I can clarify my thought process. Alkehestry (or however you spell it) kinda reminded me about alkaline metals from the periodic table. I thought it was appropriate because some of those metals make up compounds in the human body so you get a whole healing scenario. So because I went with Creta having a gas related form of alchemy I named it Nolhestry after the Noble gasses. Yeah... geeky moment... so if you were wondering about Nolhestry and how the heck I came up with _that _there's your reason.


	14. Chapter 13: Seperate Paths

Chapter 13: Separate Paths

"When does your train come?" Al asked, trying to keep the hesitation out of his voice. As much as it would be good to travel there was something about it this time… maybe the fact that Ed was not going to be with him. That his brother wasn't going to be able to say condescending things to other people for him.

"In a few minuets…. Yours?" Edward looked at his brothers tightened smile and fought the urge to go with him.

"About fifteen minuets after yours…" Alphonse looked at his brother, dimly noticing the train chugging up to the station as slowly as it could. "There's your train…" he stood with Edward, smiling at his brother with as much love as he could muster.

"We'll see each other soon Al." he smiled, clapping his younger brother on the shoulder. "Don't forget to write to granny once in a while!" Al smiled back.

"Yeah… you too…" Edward hesitated slightly , then turned and took his first step onto the train. "Hey Ed!" Al called, smiling. "Be careful, okay? And don't hesitate to contact me if you need any help." Alphonse watched Edward wave casually, and board the train, his suitcase in hand.

Alphonse stared at the train until it disappeared from the station, he stayed standing until his train came and boarded it without a second thought. Sitting down by the window, he closed his eyes and leant back into the seat.

"To Xing…" he murmured, feeling himself drift off in the warmth of the sun beams.

* * *

><p>"Oh," Edward turned around at the sound of fast footsteps and smiled at the blond woman who had just run up, "You got my message I see…"<p>

"Yeah," she frowned slightly, then smiled broadly, "you're on your way then?"

"Yeah…" Edward sat down heavily and looked up at Winry. "My train wont be here for a few minuets so I thought we could just talk." He gulped when she smiled gently at him.

"What happened?" he could see the bitterness in her smile. He fought with himself for a long moment, fought on whether or not to tell her about Karon. In the past he would have hesitated, tried to spare her from the horrors that they had witnessed.

And now he told her.

"I see…" she spoke quietly after a long pause. "That's horrible Ed…" he felt something in him second guess his decision to tell her and he opened his mouth to apologize.

"Be sure to oil it every day!" Winry thrust a small gray tin at his face and shut her eyes tightly. "I don't want you coming back here with it half rusted over!"

He laughed, ignoring the whistle of the oncoming train and instead stood, staring at Winry with grateful eyes.

"Well, here's my train…" he stepped away from her, and stepped onto the train. Then it nagged at him.

Granted it had been nagging at him for a long while, but now it was stronger than ever. "Winry," he muttered, clenching his fists.

"What?" she cocked her head, curiosity building up within her.

"Equivalent exchange…" he murmured, so quietly she couldn't decipher the second word.

"What?" she asked, stepping back as he turned around, thrusting a pointing finger at her.

"EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE!" he shouted, breathing heavy and feeling his face heat up, "You give me half of your life and I'll give you half of mine!" a tense moment of silence passed, then Winry groaned, slapping her forehead with her hand.

"Honestly…" she groaned, looking at him, "I thought you two didn't believe in that!" she rolled her eyes, "How about I give you my entire life!"

Edward was dumbstruck, until he saw Winry turn beat red and try to determine a good percentage of her life to give away. It was funny, and he couldn't help but laugh. Two scientists, trying to figure out how to…. Admit love? Oh Hell, he wasn't sure, all he knew was that it was funny and lighthearted, and now she was staring at him like he was a fungus as he laughed his heart out.

"Aren't we something!" he embraced her, smelling the familiar grease and gears that made up her career… her life. She went quiet, returning the hug and smiling when he stepped back onto the train. "When I get back we'll have to have this conversation again."

"Yeah, to get it through your thick skull." She smiled gently as he took his seat, waving to her through the window. She waved back until the train was out of sight, letting out a sigh as Ed was gone on yet another adventure.

Edward wouldn't realize it until later that that moment had been a turning point in his life. He wouldn't realize it until later that the travels he had embarked on that day would eventually be remembered at the beginning of a new nation.

* * *

><p><strong>*Ooof... well... we're finally on our way to new lands! Jeeze... it took long enough... <strong>


	15. Chapter 14: Xing

Chapter 14: Xing

"_What does Xing look like, Mei?" he had asked once. _

"_Well… it's big," the girl had pondered, fiddled with her braids and sighed, "But in the Capital." Her eyes lit up and her voice sped up, reminding Al of drums playing during the sheep festival in Resembool. "The bazaars there are so huge! And you can buy just about everything there! And occasionally the Emperor stands on his balcony and waves to the public!" Her face fell slightly. "Though… I've only been once." _

Now he knew what she was talking about. Xing wasn't like he had thought it would be. A desert area with a poor nation, but a fertile land that was covered with green.

"Sure is big…" Zampano remarked, Jerso whistling beside him. Alphonse jumped ever so slightly, having to remind himself that the two were traveling with him.

"_That you Alphonse?" the two chimeras had found him on the train and declared that in order to regain their bodies they were going to travel with him. And Alphonse hadn't minded, they really were pleasant people. _

"I know," Alphonse took a step forward and searched the brightly colored booths. "I always thought that it would be small, and… less like it is."

Bright hues of rainbow colors washed over everything. Women were dressed in clothes that were sililar to Mei's, only brighter and with more decorations. Less functional for battle Alphonse noted, much less Alkahestry.

"So where are you going?" Jerso remarked to Alphonse, noticing the boy walking into the crowd.

"To find someone." Alphonse answered simply, "Catch you guys later!" and with that Alphonse Elric vanished into the crowed.

"Even get the feelin he didn't want us along in the first place?" Zampano remarked.

"Nah." Jerso replied, shaking his head. "Not in the slightest."

* * *

><p>Alphonse ducked through the crowd, searching for any sign of Mei Chang. Any sign of Ling for that matter! Running through the elegantly dressed crowds he ran onto a wide open streets, flowers and fireworks adorning the landscape and in the middle of what looked like a royal procession on a golden throne pulled by white horses sat Ling Yao.<p>

"All make way for his royal highness Ling Yao!" The leader called, gesturing flamboyantly up at his emperor.

"Emperor?" Al yelled, feeling a smile light up his face. Until he saw the glances. And until he met the cool gaze watching him eerily behind a mask, the owner standing faithfully behind her charge to defend him at a moments notice.

"Why if it isn't Alphonse Elric." Ling remarked, smiling broadly. "Come on, join me." Alphonse hesitated at the dubious and curious glares that targeted him.

"But-" he looked around.

"Come on! We'll give you the royal tour!" Ling nodded once and Alphonse stepped forward, climbing onto the throne's platform and standing beside Ling. "After all, it's the least we can do for running out on all those bills!" Alphonse chuckled warily.

* * *

><p><em>AN: just for the record, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. And I do believe that the other guy is Jerso... all I remember him as is 'Gorilla man'_ _so if this isn't his name please let me know! :)_


	16. Chapter 15: Emperor

Chapter 15: Emperor

* A/N: So I have been a very lazy person as of late and have neglected this story. A note on the names: I've always noticed that Amestris had a more British/Western culture while Xing had more of an Eastern (Japan/China) culture. The names of the families came from an online etymology guide. There are symbolic attachments to these names that will come up later so I'll put the translations at the end of this chapter.

* * *

><p>"We're now in the Royal district." Ling gestured around him at the ornately decorated buildings, the procession continued on, seemingly unphased by the gathering crowds. Alphonse looked out over the rich houses, the people here were dressed in the most ornate of colors and hardly anyone was thin (most being rather plump).<p>

"Royal district?" Alphonse cocked his head and looked at the boy – no – man who was now his tour guide. "Like where kings and queen live?"

Ling laughed. "Well… in a sort!" he pointed a finger at a plump man and woman, both giving a grim wave to Ling. "See, whenever the Emperor gives an address, all of the leaders of the families are to come and witness it." Ling pulled quickly on his golden robe and chuckled. "That for instance is the family Hayashi leader, Arata, and his wife." Ling rolled his eyes and gave a casual wave to the two. "They aren't to happy with my ideas on how to rule Xing."

"My Lord," Lanfan bent at the waist and whispered to Ling in another language which Al didn't recognize.

"I see." He looked at Alphonse, "You wouldn't mind if we cut our tour short, would you?" he shrugged, "It seems that I have recently become a target for an assassin." Alphonse felt his eyes brows raise.

"What?"

"Lanfan informs me that he's been following us for a few minuets. But not to worry, she'll-"

"My Lord!" before Alphonse could react Ling was tackled to the floor of the platform and a ripping sound resounded through the air. It almost sounded like a-

_Clap_! And the air thickened. Not like Alkahestry or anything Al had ever felt, but like pure air pressure.

"Nolhestry!" he cried, throwing himself to the floor and clapping, feeling the alchemy flow through his arteries and veins and surge into the material below him, reforming it into a useful shield.

"What?" Ling screamed, throwing his hands to his saber and grimacing as Lanfan elbowed him with her automail arm.

"I'll explain later!" Alphonse moved into a crouch and clapped again, touching the side wall to turn it into shrapnel, flinging it towards where the assassin had taken his shot from.

"Damnit!" Ling snapped as his body guard once more pushed him down to lie flat on the floor.

"Stop my Lord, if you die it is all for nothing!" Lanfan pushed her Lord farther down and took a quick glance back at where Alphonse was fending off the assassin.

Clapping his hands together and pressing them to a wooden pole he sent it flying at the attacker, clenching his teeth as bits of rubble grazed his head. Alphonse braced himself for another attack, only to find that the world had begun to spin.

"No-" he groaned, feeling his feet drop out from underneath him, his body falling to the stone street below. A clap broke through the stillness to his ears. _It can't end here!_ He thought feverently, thinking of any possible way to escape the pressure that was now building up in his lungs, threatening to burst his lungs.

"ALPHONSE!" the pressure was suddenly evaporating, leaving him gasping for air. Was that Ed? No, wait, Edward wasn't here… he would be in Creta by now…. Than who?

His vision was slowly returning, dark spots loomed in the bright light, but allowed him to see a petite girl, her hair in braids not unlike Teachers had been.

"Mei?" he ventured, blinking up into her bright eyes. "What're-"

"You okay?" she smiled softly and tightened her slender fingers on his shoulder.

"Yeah…" he looked at her and noticed how tall she'd gotten. How her clothes were now more regal and adult than the last time he'd seen her. (Which, granted, had been a few years ago).

"That's good," she extended a hand and helped pull him up, looking over her shoulder and saying something in a language that Alphonse didn't know at Ling and Lanfan.

"I've been looking for you!" Alphonse spat out, a blush covering his face quickly. Jeeze, he must still be a little oxygen deprived if now he was babbling out his life story.

She looked at him kindly, smiling softly. "That's good, me too." Alphonse blinked back stupidly.

"Well, now that you've proven your loyalty to me why don't we go back to my palace?" Ling smiled, though it was obvious to Al that he was immensely worried.

"Sure…" he looked at Mei expectantly, "You're coming to, right?"

"Yeah." She put her hand on his elbow and walked back with him, climbing on the now woefully distraught royal platform and staring at him fondly.

"Mei," he took a breath, "I need your help with something." He smiled at her.

"Yeah Alphonse?" the Chang girl held her breath for a moment. This was her dream, where Alphonse proposed and she said yes, and they lived happily ever after and then had-

"I want you to teach Ed and me Alkahestry."

Her thoughts stopped suddenly and she smiled. "Why do you two want to learn a thing like that?"

"I have to give him something back… something close to alchemy." Alphonse sighed, putting his head in his hands, "He's not whole Mei, he's just not the same without it." Alphonse was almost pleading now. "For everything he's done for everybody it seems so unfair that he cant have at least one thing!"

She smiled gently, almost like a parent. "But we don't know if it will work Al. It might be that he can't learn it, perform it…" she bit her lip. "I want to help him Al, and you, but wouldn't it be kinder to not give him false hope?" Alphonse looked at her in the eyes and frowned.

"No," Ling and Lanfan looked back, faces filled with concern, "Because he _will_ pull this off."

As Ling would later state conversationally to Lanfan, the look of defiance in Alphonse Elrics eyes had been akin to hers when she had had her automail replaced when he took over a emperor.

Lanfan would later roll her eyes and remark that if she remembered correctly _he _was the one bawling his eyes out as they reattached the prosthetic.

* * *

><p>*Translations: (Please keep in mind that I do not speak Japanese and I'm going soley off of what this web page told me is correct)<p>

Hayashi: forest

Arata: fresh, new


	17. Chapter 16: Welcome to Creta

Chapter 16: Welcome to Creta

The first words that ran through Edward's mind were, _War Zone?_ Looking out around the small train station he saw many people sitting with injuries, with bandages covering most of their body and coughs ricocheting around him. All present save for himself had some degree of tan skin and eyes that resembled Karon's.

Relations had always been testy with Creta, border disputes were common, but an all out war? These people looked like they'd been beaten. Their eyes (which were almost identical to Karons) were dull and looked up into his amber ones with no fighting spirit.

"Damn them!" a shout startled him, and he quickly twisted around to see a child, his hands bandaged and shaking with either anger or fatigue (or maybe both).

"Wha-" Edward cocked his head in confusion, watching the young boy shout and scream accusingly at 'them'.

"They took it all away from us! And what are we doing here? We're acting like we've been defeated already!"

"Hush child," a man with bandages over his right eye murmured, the other burning with pain, "It's over."

"What's over?" the words were out of Ed's mouth before he could control them. Everyone's gaze turned to him, and targeted him. Like he was stupid, like he was an outsider not to be trusted. "Was there a battle…?" he urged, feeling his throat tighten. Was it just him or was the pressure in the room increasing?

"You don't know?" The young boy scoffed, rolling his eyes whilst unclenching his fists gently, bringing red blood to the white bandage though. "You really must be stupid."

"Shush, Fallow." The man hushed the child once more and frowned at Edward. "You are?"

"A concerned traveler." Edward asked, feeling the pressure back off ever so slightly. _Take it easy, you don't have your alchemy to back you up…_

"Ha!" the old man gave a short, bitter laugh and nodded at him. "Lots of missioners come through this station, even fewer of them are actually concerned about people!" Edward flinched at the implication.

"The difference is I _do _care," Edward looked straight at them all, giving what he hoped was a sincere smile. "So what exactly happened."

"Funny," the boy, Fallow, laughed, "You came here and you didn't even know that you were going to be in the middle of it."

"Middle of what?"

"The civil war boy." The man sighed, his eyes displaying the most emotion Edward had seen yet. "Creta's ripping itself apart."

And the pressure dissipated, and the last words through Edward Elric's mind were, _oh shit_.

* * *

><p>*Sorry for the sporadic updates... I write when the inspiration strikes me! lol<p> 


	18. Chapter 17: War Zone

Chapter 17: War Zone

"It's gotten bad, hasn't it?" Ed asked, feeling stupid as he said it. The people sitting, leaning on the benches were covered in wounds and bloodstains that were a testament to the price they'd had to pay for their beliefs.

"The damn reformers want to go a more… militaristic way." The elderly man patted his knee, an invitation to the small boy who looked dubiously at it. Ed could see the hesitation, could see the fear in causing more pain to the man.

"I see." Edward looked down at the bandages which were now dripping red and coughed awkwardly. "Let me help," he moved to tighten the bandages around the knee, stopped when the man gasped. "What?" he stopped, crouched in front of him and blowing his bangs impatiently out of his face.

"You have a metal leg." The man's face was alive with curiosity. "Are you a doctor?"

Ed scoffed at that, "Me? A doctor? I don't have the patience for that!" he looked up with what he hoped was a comforting smile at the elderly man and assured, "But I've spent enough time in hospitals and battlefields to know a little something about first aid." He moved slowly and cautiously, gently placing one hand on the bandage and keeping the pressure on while using his other to tighten the knot. "There, that should help keep it steady for now…" he stood up and cast a sympathetic glance around the people. "Does anyone else need help?"

A soft chorus of pleas echoed out, and Edward felt a slight pull inside of him. _Is this how the Rockbells felt?_ He thought as he tightened another bandage around the young boy, Fallow's, thigh. _Helping people in Ishval?_

"They want to use it for military uses. They want to use us a weapons." Fallow murmured, leaning against the man and shivering ever so slightly.

"What?" Edward looked at the kid with horror in his eyes. "Use what?"

"Nolhestry." Edward blinked up at the old man.

"Nolhestry…" there it was again, the opposing science.

"You come from Amestris?" the man asked, nodding to the automail leg.

"Yes," Edward swallowed the lump in his throat.

"So you know of alchemy and what happened to your country because of it."

"I was there." Edward sighed, better now than never to show his identity. "I'm- I was- the Fullmetal alchemist." Ed paused, sitting down on the cold ground and watching the faces inquisitively.

"Creta has been fighting over where to develop our research using Nolhestry. To use it as a weapon, as Amestris, or to use it as medical means."

"Oh." Edward looked around, noting the scarred faces and hands of the people.

"You're wondering about our hands?" Fallow asked, cocking his head and holding his hands out towards Edward's face.

"Yeah," he gave a sheepish smile and looked at the bandages wound tightly around it.

"It comes with using Nolhestry." Fallow smiled, "My calluses are just building up so it hit me the worst-"

"Nolhestry causes that?" Edward gently touched the child's hand, feeling slight bumps and disturbances in the bone.

"Yup!" Fallow pulled his hand back and placed it in the older man's open one. "Grandpa, can I go now?"

"I suppose." The man smiled and watched as Fallow scrambled off, going to stand with a group of kids. "I assume you know what Nolhestry is?" the man stretched out his aching limbs.

"Yeah, kinda." Ed sighed, "It's like alchemy. Only the science behind it is based more off of the Noble gasses and pressure." That little metaphorical light bulb clicked in his skull, "Like fire alchemy, only stopping at activating the gasses." Edward looked at the chuckling old man.

"You seem to have done some studying." The man cleared his throat apologetically, "Before I forget anymore, I'm Tarett, that ones grandfather," he nodded to Fallow.

"Oh! Thank you, and there was a death, when I went to find the culprit I found out about Nolhestry." Edward gave a loud sigh and winced as his leg muscles pulsated viciously. _Stupid bone…_

"I'm sorry," Tarett murmured, "was it… a friend of yours?"

"No, not really… he was…. From here." Edward looked away, unsure of how Karon played his part in all of this.

"Really?" he cocked his head and asked, "What was his name, maybe I knew him."

Edward braced himself for the impact, for the man to claim that he did know Karon and that he was either an enemy or a loved one. (The situation being with the enemy outlook was that then suspicion would cast itself upon Ed, like it always had and probably always would.) "Karon."

The room went dead silent as expected. Then there was an agonized wail of lament from a group of people, followed by soft murmurs and worried tones.

"Are you sure it was Karon?" Tarett's eyes were wide with fear, all hope missing from them. "Are you positive!"

"Yes, at least, that's who he said he was." Ed stood up, muscles and ligaments tensed, ready to run for it. He had no weapon anymore, no self defense. _Maybe I should've taken Hawkeye up on those shooting lessons_ he chided himself.

"We're all doomed!" a voice screeched, "He was the best out of all of us!" Edward blinked.

It all made sense now. All of the people had bandaged hands and faces, all of them looked worse for wear and pale. All of them were fighters.

"You're all Nolhestrists?" Edward swallowed the forming lump in his throat.

"All of us, Karon… he…. He was a prodigy. If he was taken out by Nolhestry it must mean that the others-"

"He mentioned something about the Westons." Edward noticed the hands that clenched. "And in all honesty he was wounded before we were cornered." Edward felt his eyes narrow. "Who are the Westons?"

"They're a mercenary group." Tarett explained, rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes. "I believe that they're the only enemy we share in common with the other side." Tarett looked at Edward. "Please- help our cause! With Karon gone victory is-!"

"Up to you…" Edward sighed, "I can't help." Part of him wanted to, wanted to help these people in whatever way he could. Two things stood in his way though. One: he had no alchemy, or any means _to _help these people; and two: he didn't have enough time to take sides and become an outside interference that might cause more harm than good.

"But – you're an alchemist!" Tarett protested.

"I _can't!"_ Edward growled, "Please believe me when I say that I can't but I want you guys to be happy, to not have to fight." He gulped and clenched his fists. "I have to-"

"Please?" he looked down to see a child, no more than twelve or thirteen tugging on the edge of his vest with bandaged hands. He had scars around his eyes and mouth and one eye had a twinge of white in it that signified damage. "He was my brother. I-I want to help people…"

_Fuck._ Edward blinked. What if that had been Al? What if he had been Karon and Al had been here?

"Aww hell." He muttered, gripping his suitcase handle. "Listen up!" he addressed everyone. "I'm not picking sides, I can't!" _That's the military talking in you, _his mind agreed, _always think tactically, never let your guard down-_ "But I can help you. I can try and find a medium in this mess and help you understand it more." Edward thought of Lior. Messing about in politics was neither his forte, nor was it his ideal job. Research was however.

Murmurs of thanks went up as another tug on his sleeve alerted him to the boy who was asking him a question.

"Please, will you take me? I want to learn."

"Sorry," he murmured, "I don't know anything about Nolhestry."

"No- I want to learn about alchemy to." Edward flinched.

"I'm not really-"

"Please! I have nothing here!" Edward blinked back stupidly.

"But your family-"

"They're dead! Please Mister!" Edward looked into the green eyes, took in the accent. And suddenly understood how Teacher had felt when they pulled the same stunt.

The only difference being that there were two of them instead of one.

And that she could perform alchemy, she wasn't _useless. _

Edward felt something pull and nag at him and broke. He could at least teach the kid the basics.

He could at least give the kid a semblance of purpose. He could at least… _get some information, be more prepared for any upcoming battles. _

"Okay." He sighed, "What's your name?"

"Leni." The boy nodded, a small smile blooming. "Where to first boss?"

Edward blanched. He'd never been put in a position of power before, he'd never had a (dare he say it) student. Well, the first thing Teacher did was travel with them.

"West." Edward looked at Leni and then at the people. "Do you have anything you need to get?"

Leni shook his head and blinked up at him.

"Then I guess we should get going…" Edward turned and began walking with Leni right beside him.

* * *

><p>AN: So I can't say that I'm really happy with this chapter, or with the idea of Leni... but we'll see how it works out. Enjoy!

P.S. Just for the record: I do not own.


	19. Chapter 18: The Sky before the Storm

Chapter 18: The sky before the storm

"Ah! Your Highness!" Ling flinched at the call of his title.

"Yes?" he called back, noting how low the man bowed in respect. "What is it?"

"Lord Hayashi wants to meet with you immediately!" the man bowed again.

"Did he say what about?" Ling mentally rolled his eyes. Damn Arata! That man was always playing the power game and was never content to just sit back and voice his opinions. Half of Ling wondered if he had been the one to enlist the assassin.

"No my Lord," the man bowed.

"Very well," Ling turned to go to the Diplomacy room. "Let's not keep him waiting."

* * *

><p>Alphonse and Mei were busy catching up on the stair well. So far she had just finished relaying her tale of how her family's position had changed since Ling had become emperor when Alphonse caught sight of the same man, walking into what Mei had said was the 'Diplomacy room'.<p>

"Who's that?" Alphonse pointed to the man, was Hayashi his name, who he had seen at the parade.

"That's Lord Hayashi!" Mei smiled at Alphonse. "He controls the southern area of Xing!" she stated it like it was so obvious.

"What so special about him?" Al asked, cocking his head as Ling walked into the room with him.

"He only controls one of the most important woodlands area of this country!" Mei took on that 'no duh' tone.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Al retorted.

"Well, I thought the name Hayashi was enough." Mei smiled, "All of the controlled districts are named. Hayashi is the major forest district, Hamasaki is the sea district that controls our ocean imports. Those are the two major ones at least." Alphonse nodded, trying to keep the names in his memory.

"So whoever takes control of that district gets that surname?" he clarified.

"That's right!" Mei Chang looked at Alphonse with older eyes.

"Hey Mei," he asked, looking into her dark eyes.

"Yeah?" she smiled softly.

"Can we start our Alkahestry training?"

"Sure Alphonse." She placed a hand in the folds of her skirt, gently touching the blades that lay there. "We can get started." As they passed by the window Alphonse noted how early in the morning it was, and how red the sky was.

"'Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning'." He recalled, much to Mei's amusement.

"That silly old rhyme?" she laughed, "I didn't think you were superstitious Alphonse."

"I'm not!" he assured, "Just… something doesn't feel right…"

As they passed Lanfan in the hallway they heard a loud shout, and her unheard retort: 'I've told him multiple times that it's not very diplomatic if you yell at them intelligently.' She walked towards the hall, 'that's the game of politics'.

Yes, Al could feel it changing, everything was changing.

* * *

><p>Miles away from Xing Edward Elric was walking along a path with Leni, keeping his senses alert. <em> God the temperatures so hot… <em>he thought. The boy had assured him that he could efficiently use Nolhestry to fight and while Ed detested the thought of using the kid as a weapon it was the only choice he had.

"So… if you don't mind me asking, what side were you two on?" Edward tried to keep it lighthearted.

"Oh! Well, me and brother really didn't have a side… we really thought that a balance would be more beneficial… but after our parents were killed everyone on the warfare side wanted us to stay." Leni shrugged, "If they were anything to us it was more like a foster family." The boy's eyes clouded over. Ed paused mid stride.

"I'm sorry man, I didn't mean to bring up old memor-"

"Man?" Leni cocked his head.

"Yeah… y'know, it's a term… also a gender…"

"But I'm not a man."

Edward paused. Maybe the reason he'd taken on this… student, was because of the similarities between him and Al. He looked Leni up and down. His student looked like a boy. Though, now that he thought about it, she did live in a war zone.

"I'm sorry!" he apologized.

"It's okay." Leni smiled, "Me and my brother used to joke about the fact that I dressed like a boy. I hope it wont be a problem."

"Why would it be?" Ed cocked his head. _God it's only getting hotter._

"Well, some people don't like women learning Nolhestry." She blinked. "Or alchemy I would assume."

Edward smiled, "Well good thing I'm not some people." He continued walking. "Where should we head for information on the Westons?"

"Probably Crete." She offered. "The neutral ground in this war."

"Then let's go!" he made off at a fast pace and smiled back at Leni, "And by the way, you can teach me about Nolhestry along the way!" he laughed at her shocked face.

As they looked up at the night sky Edward remembered the Xingeese saying.

"Red sky at night, sailors delight…" he chuckled.

"But there isn't a red sky." Leni blinked upwards.

"Must mean a storms coming…"

* * *

><p>AN: so, there might be a slightly longer(ish) gap between these chapters because I've somehow managed to get yet another little plot bunny lodged in my brain. It's another Fullmetal Alchemist thing and won't be as long as this one but it might take me some more days to upload because of its little gnawing at my concentration... sorry for the interruption! :)


	20. Chapter 19: Lessons with Mei

Chapter 19: Lessons with Mei

"Think about the chi flow we talked about earlier." Mei reminded Al, watching as he closed his eyes and tried to feel it – **see** it. "Now place the apparatus on the floor. Alphonse took a breath and slowly put each knife in it's place, forming a transmutation circle. "Now put your own chi into the circle." A soft glow began to emerge as the wooden board warped and twisted into a disgruntled panda shaped representation of it's model: an even more disgruntled Shao Mei.

Mei smiled at her prince charming's progress until she felt the familiar shift quake and dissipate into nothing, leaving the statue unfinished. Alphonse clenched his eyes shut and tried to force all of the energy out, pushing his mind to remember the feeling and recreate it, all to no avail.

"No!" a sharp screech from beside him startled him, causing him to momentarily to loose his balance.

"What?" he gasped, throwing the younger girl a frustrated glare.

"You're throwing too much into it!" she returned the glare ten-fold and sighed. "It's supposed to be almost effortless – like it's an extension of yourself!" The young teen growled and pulled the knives from the floor boards, putting them effortlessly into another part of the floor and building a phenomenal model of her beloved friend.

"See?" she asked, briefly admiring her work and handing the blades back to Alphonse. "Try again."

Alphonse shut his eyes with a huff and breathed in deeply. _Ed could do better at this._ He thought, _he always did throw himself into alchemy_. Alphonse pressed the knives into the wood once more and focused his energy – his soul into the statue of the panda.

Mei smiled as she felt the pressure build into a crescendo, then slowly evaporate, resettling into it's new form.

The statue was plain and simple. Transmutation marks were very noticeable and it was the kind of thing that she herself had been doing when she was five. But for an alchemist (especially one of the Elric brothers) switching over all of the principles it was fantastic.

And encouragement could only help him on his way.

"Fantastic Alphonse!" she squealed over enthusiastically. "That's better than before!" Alphonse smirked back.

"Yeah." He was tired. It seemed that Alkahestry (a lot like Alchemy) forced a lot out of the user. And especially one who was just learning the tools of the trade. "I'm learning."

Mei smiled, letting her eyes wander over Alphonse's grown body. "Do you want to quit for the day?" she asked, noticing the sweat building up around his hands and the dull, tired look in his eyes.

"No." he murmured, closing his eyes once more and attempting to concentrate his energy.

"If you're tired it'll be harder and harder." Mei smiled sweetly. "C'mon, let's get some rest and we'll try later." Alphonse looked up at her with a weary smile.

"Okay…" Alphonse slowly eased himself up and stretched, laughing softly as Shao Mei did likewise, growing ever so slightly.

There was a small moment of silence in the guest room where he stayed until the door crashed open, startling Alphonse and Mei.

"Alphonse!" Lanfan appeared, her face filled with concern. "They've caught the assassin!" Alphonse felt a surge of adrenaline hit his system. "The Emperor wants you to come and see if you can make heads or tails of what he's saying." She breathed.

"Let's go." Alphonse hurried with her out the door. "Mei?" he looked back but she was looking down at Shao Mei with a small, almost bitter smile. "What's wrong?"

"Go ahead Alphonse." She murmured, smiling at him. "I'll be along in a minuet."

With a small smile he departed, following Lanfan back to the imperial room where he had left Ling and Hayashi moments before.

Now the room was bustling with excitement. Guards paced back and forth, eyes trained on a man kneeling in the center of the room.

"Alphonse." Ling clasped his shoulder in a greeting. "Maybe you can make sense of what he's saying." Al looked at the man dubiously.

"He's the assassin?" Alphonse blinked. They mans skin was tan, scars racing in a blur across his face while his emerald green eyes pierced back into Al's golden ones with hatred.

The man shouted something in a language that Alphonse couldn't place. And once more looked at Al with contempt.

"I'm sorry I don't…" Alphonse hoped his guess at the mans nationality was correct, "Speak Creatian…"

"Pigs!" the man spat in his direction. "You and your emperors!" Alphonse looked quickly to Ling who was simply grimacing at the accusations. "You meddle with our affairs and you think that you can deny us our rights!"

Alphonse backed away, keeping a close eye on the assassins hands. "Calm down, we can figure this out… I know it." Alphonse raised a defensive hand, "Just what did you want with killing the Emperor of Xing?"

The man began to laugh, his voice hard with a crude accent. "We only follow orders! We only strike when needed! You think you can interfere with the Westons' plans? Ha! We _will _crush you!"

At the name of Weston Ling's face paled to a ghostly shade and Lanfan breathed out something in Xingese.

"Westons…?" Alphonse watched as the man struggled against his bonds, baring his stained teeth. "Nolhestry…" Alphonse stepped away from the man. Danger. The assassin could kill from a distance, could probably kill them now if he got his hands free.

"What is it Al?" Ling asked, coming to stand beside Al. "Who's he?"

"You have to get him out of here." Alphonse breathed, "He's a Nolhestris…. I'll explain later but you have to get him locked up. Somewhere where he can't transmute." Alphonse blinked, debated about building the man a airless box, than decided that that would be counterproductive.

"Okay," Ling motioned quickly to the bodyguards who (not too kindly) escorted the man presumably to the dungeons. "Hopefully we wont have to worry to much about him for a while."

"Who are the Westons?" Lanfan asked, cocking her head slightly.

"I don't know…" Alphonse sighed, rubbing his temples. "I really don't know." Alphonse blinked stupidly around himself and then looked at Ling. "If you want I'll explain now."

_He's so tired…_ Ling thought, smiling softly. "Sure. Let's do it over lunch, huh?" Ling grasped his shoulder and slowly walked out of the hall with him. "I don't know about you but I could eat a horse!"

* * *

><p>*AN: Well... this chapter is utter crapola. Still I hope that the plot will flow more smoothly from now on... enjoy! :)


	21. Chapter 20: Lessons with Shao Mei

Chapter 20: Lessons with Shao Mei

Lunch was fairly delicious Al decided. Although in the current context 'fairly delicious' actually meant: phenomenal and I ate until I'm ready to burst. Alphonse had explained as best as he could about what had happened and had felt something in him burn to get back to his Alkahestry.

"So there's something going on in Creta…" Ling paused in his eating to narrow his already slanted eyes. "That's not good."

"Why?" Alphonse asked, "I know that one nation can impact everything," he thought back to the turmoil that had brought about him and brother meeting Ling, "but surely if they're having a civil war it's pretty much contained."

"Creta is a big export country." Ling explained softly, "They export mainly medicinal items, equipment and some foods." Ling took a small bite and pushed the plate aside. "Them having all these shady organizations is not necessarily a bad thing but…"

"If it gets out of hand we'll have to figure out a way around it…" Alphonse nodded, "I get it." He felt a from cross his face as his thoughts traveled back to Edward. "I hope brother's okay…" Alphonse closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks for lunch Ling, but I should get back to my-" before he could finish he felt something grip tightly onto his leg with claws and teeth and clench.

Standing up with a little shriek he pulled the small blob of fur off and held it out at arms length. Spitting and hissing was a little panda, her fur ruffled and her eyes wide with fear.

"Shao Mei?" Al breathed, gently setting her on the table. The creature jumped off the table and ran out of the dining room.

Alphonse followed, his curiosity peaked. She was never far away from Mei… and Mei had declined lunch in order to go and re-gather her thoughts on how to teach him alkahestry…

He barely registered the fact that Ling was following him, duties forgotten, or that there was a small sound coming from up the stairs, or that Shao Mei had somehow crawled onto his shoulder and was now shaking as he approached his bedroom door.

"Mei?" He called, hoping his was wrong. Until he smelled the blood. _She's cut herself,_ he thought, _and she's going to reply 'I'm fine.' _Alphonse pushed the door open and gagged.

The girl who had always fawned over him, who had been by his side through thick and thin, and who he always felt attached to was laying face down in a puddle of her own blood.

He barely registered hearing Ling call sharply for a medic, or for guards, or Lan Fan placing a hand on his shoulder. All he knew was that at some point he had crouched beside Mei and pulled her head into his lap, staring at her bleeding nose and feeling a moment of dread. Pressure…. That could pop a vein in the nose…. Nolhestry could…. He gently placed a hand on Mei's cool forehead and watched Shao Mei gently prod at her companion.

"She'll be okay," he assured the creature, "She survived homunculi, this is no big deal…"

What the hell had they gotten themselves into now?

* * *

><p>AN: I don't know why this is taking so long, but anyhow, here's a little bit to tide us over! Yay for defeating the procrastination goblins!


	22. Chapter 21: Apprentice

Chapter 21: Apprentice

Creta was hot. Ed pondered the exact temperature while he watched his new found apprentice converse with a man in a cart for a ride. She spoke a fast paced Cretian language that Edward couldn't even begin to comprehend and then gestured wildly to Ed. He caught his name being said once and then began to loose interest in the conversation.

After a few hours of traveling he'd managed to convince the girl to not call him boss anymore (he felt it to much pressure and given him too much authority, and she couldn't call him Teacher, because that was Izumi's title).

Leni waved at him and began climbing into the back of the cart, thanking the man as she did so.

"Mr. Elric!" she cried, waving her hands, "Hurry up or he'll leave you behind!" she smiled as Edward huffed and threw himself and his suitcase into the back of the cart.

"You know you don't have to call me 'Mr. Elric'. Right?"

"Then what do I call you?" he could tell the sarcasm in her voice, "Mr. Fullmetal Alchemist Sir?" God… he felt like slapping the back of her head like Teacher had done to them whenever they'd messed up. He didn't blame her if this is how he used to be….

"No. You call me…" he pondered for a moment, "Edward." He smiled at her broadly and clapped his hands together. "And now we begin your lessons."

The cart lurched and began a semi steady pulse as the oxen pulled it. Edward, casting a sidelong glance at the driver, looked to Leni and smiled.

"Here," he pulled out a piece of chalk and handed it to her, "Your first lesson is how to drawn an apparatus."

She looked at him quizzically, "Apparatus?"

"Yeah," he took the chalk and gently began to carve the familiar sigil on the wooden beams. "All transmutations need an apparatus to give them a center, a door." The word was bitter on his tongue. "You need to perfect this before you can move on to the next step." He held out the chalk again and she took it, seemingly more confident.

"Oh!" she looked at him, then began to draw quietly and slowly.

"So what's Nolhestry like?" Edward asked, trying to make idle conversation.

"It's okay…. A lot more complex than this stuff." Leni chewed on her cheek.

"Doesn't it use an apparatus like this?" Ed frowned. _It's a form of alchemy… right?_

"Well, see all Nolhestrists have the apparatus placed on their skin." She held out a tan hand and casually pointed to the crisscrossed scars that Ed could now see formed a circle with a sign in the middle.

"Oh…" he felt his heart drop a little. Though it hadn't been uncommon in Amestris to do so, to force a child to do something like that seemed a little… extreme.

"As you do Nolhestry, the pressure cuts into the grooves until eventually it's just permenantly there." She blinked up at him with a smile. "The pressure hurts for a bit until you get used to it, but all in all it's not a bad science."

Edward kept silent for a moment, still unsure of what he wanted to say. "You and your brother… were you guys learning or?"

"I was learning!" she radiated pride, "Karon was already doing his own research." She tapped the finished drawing and started a new one, working out the imperfections.

"Research? Is that why he was in Amestris?"

"Yeah." She looked up, her eyes dark, "He told me he'd found out who was helping the Westons… he said, he promised that he would stop them; because he had a secret weapon."

"Somebody in Amestris… helping the Westons…." Edward gasped, _"A few days ago there was an attempted assassination on Fuhur Grumman,". _It all made sense now.

The boy in Amestris, running into them, scared for his life not because of the military, but of the Westons. He attempted to assassinate the Fuhur, not because of a hatred but because of a mistaken identity….

"Karon knew who it was… when he last called me he said that he couldn't get to him because of all the body guards." She paused and looked at Ed.

"They'll be after me next." Her voice shook with a slight tremor of fear. Ed didn't blame her. The idea of dying at the hands of Nolhestry was less than pleasant.

"Why do you say that?" he tried to remain positive, optimism would defeat despair… right?

"They probably think I know my brothers secret." Leni looked up at him and smiled, "but that's okay! You can beat 'em off, right?"

Edward froze. _Goddamnit why didn't I take Hawkeye up on those shooting lessons? You can't live if you can't defend yourself… _he sighed, We might have to make a pit stop before we continue… he lowered his gaze.

"I see…" so much wisdom for a twelve year old. Then the question that Ed had been dreading, "Why not?"

"I-there- there was an… accident." Leni looked at him and blinked. "A few years ago an uprising broke out over Amestris and in order to… save someone I had to do something that took away my alchemy."

"Like what?" that damn childhood curiosity was surfacing.

"There's a door in all of us that when opened reveals Truth." He pointed at her chest, finger lingering over her heart. "But you have to pay a price and mine was alchemy." He saw the fear in her eyes and felt a sick sense of satisfaction. Maybe a little fear would prevent her from going down that path.

"So… you can't do alchemy…"

"I'm sorry I'm useless Leni." He smiled, "but we'll get through this, I promise." He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, _I wonder what Al's doing right now… _

* * *

><p>"Another trench exposed?" Lieutenant Hawkeye muttered, rifling through the folder and growling in frustration.<p>

"They're thinking about deploying a unit of Alchemists to find the culprit and stop the attacks." Mustang frowned from his place by the window. "They Cretian revolt is coming too close for comfort." His fingers tightened into fists.

"Things have changed sir," she put the file down and looked at him, "We wont be ordered to kill unless absolutely necessary." But her eyes betrayed the same worry as his.

"I hope you're right," he looked out of the window and down at where a mass of men were gathering in trucks.

"Sir," she spoke up, coming to stand by him before the window, "Tensions have been building up for years now, if anything comes out of this it'll be the result of years of mistrust." She turned to leave, stopping only when she saw Havoc standing by the door.

"The revolt's moved past the trenches…" a despairing look filled his eyes, "we've been ordered to move out and secure Crete."

Riza Hawkeye looked back at her boss, her golden eyes seeing the shoulders sag under the gravity of the order.

"Then we'll go." She felt her own eyes darken, felt the colonel's eyes bear into her back and looked at Havoc. "Let's move out."

As the office lights darkened Riza felt nostalgic. The future had looked so promising, so bright… until that assassination.

The tip they had received had said that he wasn't after the Fuhur, but another person close to him. Who they had meant was yet to be found.

They reached the trucks, wearier than they had been in a long time and split up. One for recon, one for a sniper, and one for an alchemist.

"I'll see you later Hawkeye, Havoc," Mustang said, nodding to them as he boarded.

"You too sir," they replied, clambering in and settling down for the longest journey they were sure they'd ever take.


	23. Chapter 22: Life

Chapter 22: Life

Alphonse couldn't remember how many hours it had been. Or maybe days. All he knew was that Mei was lying in her bed, in her heavily guarded room, fighting for her life.

The doctor had murmured something to Ling and then quickly walked out after tending her. As Ling had put it, _"He say's she's doing okay… but, there's been a lot of damage…" _and that did it.

There was a possibility that Mei Chang _wouldn't _wake up from this… that she would simply die…. Alphonse felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Lanfan.

"I brought this here…" he muttered, feeling ever so lost. " If I hadn't come looking for-"

"It would've happened anyway." Lanfan repeated softly, "Regardless of you coming to find her."

"What's going on…" he murmured, "I- this is too big for one person…" Alphonse rubbed his eyes and stood up. "Stay with her, I have to go make a phone call." Lanfan nodded and traded spots, offering a small smile.

"The phone's down the hall and to the left…" he opened the door and stepped out, "And Alphonse," she smiled at him, "Keep in mind that she's a Chang. Those people don't die easily." Alphonse smiled gratefully at her and went off to the phone.

_First I'll call Teacher,_ Alphonse thought, _she'll have some clue as to what were up against… _He thought back to Ed and wished that he'd have a way to contact him. _Then I'll call Granny to check in and leave a message for Ed. _He nodded and picked up the phone, feeling his fingers tremble as he picked up the phone and place a call in to Teacher's place.

It took several long minuets before a hurried voice spoke in an unfamiliar and scared shitless tone, "Izumi?"

Alphonse blinked in surprise and felt his voice waver slightly, "Where's Teacher, Sig?"

"Alphonse!" the man's voice wavered, "You haven't seen her either?" Al couldn't find any words to form next.

Mei was in a bed fighting for her life, Teacher was missing, and his brother was unreachable.

"Sig," Al waited a few moments, gathering his thoughts, "When did she disappear?"

"I-I-I'm sorry Alphonse," now _that _threw him for a loop. Sig had never apologized to him before for something that was out of his control. "I… musta passed out. It felt like my head was about to burst, right after you two left… I don't… I… don't remember." Alphonse put his head in his hands and felt a small sob shake through him.

"I don't know what's going on Sig," _but I'm going to find out, _"just stay low and on guard." Alphonse said a hasty goodbye and set down the receiver.

Another phone call was made, one that Alphonse felt the need to do in a hushed whisper, and to leave only a message for Ed.

"Granny," Alphonse said, halfway fearful of the consequences, "I need you to tell Ed he has to find a way to contact me…" Al left the number with her, left another message that told of Teacher in trouble, and hung up, feeling more lost than he had in a long while.

The facts were adding up, slowly but surely. Separate the two Elric brother's from each other, take a hostage, threaten their friends and family, all to get the prodigal one to do some Nolhestry research… well… it was as good a theory as any…

Later that night he dreamed. He was resting his head on Mei's bed and dreamed of being a child in Resembool. In the early, dark, hours of the morning Alphonse was awoken by a smiling Mei, her hand resting lightly on his head, her eyes soft and softly bloodshot.

"Alphonse," she whispered, her voice shallow.

He jumped up, at attention to the injured girl. "Mei! You're awake!" he restrained any shouts of joy and or leaping that might ruin the quiet, peaceful moment of relief.

"Yes…" she smiled at him, "I felt it… Nolhestry…" she blinked at him slowly, "I think we need to go and find out more." Alphonse felt relief that she felt the same way he did.

"I think you need to rest first." He murmured, blinking up at her, "Do you know how much you worried me?"

* * *

><p>Crete was different than Ishval. There was more of a resigned attitude in the air than an all out riot. Hawkeye felt she could deal… as long as this all went smoothly…<p>

High up in her tower, looming above ready to fire at a moments notice she thought of her orders. Guard the alchemists. Was the order… and guard them she would… keeping a special eye out for the Flame Alchemist, and for the golden haired boys she had watched grow up.

* * *

><p>AN: I just want to wish all those who have finals, AP exams, and whatnot good luck! Now for all those who don't have any of the above... well... just good luck in general!


	24. Chapter 23: Meeting with a CO

Chapter 23: Meeting with a C.O.

*A/N: Warning: this chapter has profanity later on, other than that enjoy!

* * *

><p>The dining hall was crowded with soldiers. It vaguely reminded Riza of the dinners in Ishval, though those had been eaten around campfires, in that there was almost complete silence. Standing with her tray of undecipherable food she looked around her people she would know. Typically, it wouldn't have bothered her to sit alone and off to the side, but as of lately it bothered her. She got to thinking.<p>

Thoughts of homunculi that were plotting her death creped up on her, images of her friends and coworkers dead bombarded her eyes, and all the while people still kept up their stares. After all, she was the 'Hawks eyes' she was one of the people involved in _that _event. She was everything from respected to feared-

"We need the Fullmetal Alchemist!" a hoarse whisper broke out, "Why haven't they deployed _him? _What makes him so damn special?"

Riza felt her hands clench the tray tighter and bit her tongue.

"Maybe they're dead already," someone offered.

Riza felt her eyes widen, for the first time in a long time she felt worried that those two children – well- men now, were out here and that she might very well one day see them shot down… especially Edward in his current state…

"Looking for someone?" a weary, familiar voice asked, elbowing her slightly.

"Colonel!" she gasped, wheeling around. She allowed a momentary glint of fear pass through her eyes and blinked up at him. She saw worry.

"I'll take that as a yes." He chuckled, then turned and gestured to a far off table, "me and Havoc set up shop over there."

"I might call Ed and Al later," she murmured nonchalantly, walking with him to the table, "Just to check in."

"… Tell Edward he still owes me money." Mustang refrained from using the boy's code name. He'd managed to keep the public from knowing that the Fullmetal Alchemist had retired, hell – those kids needed some privacy after all that they'd done.

She nodded once, her eyes taking in his drawn face, she saw the age more clearly, saw the hurt in the fact that nothing seemed to be going to plan.

She took her seat across from Havoc, her back to the wall. _Don't trust people,_ her thoughts warned.

"So how's your first day?" Mustang tried to initiate the conversation.

"Nah…" Havoc shrugged, "Just the town emptying out…"

"Just following the alchemists around, sir." She replied, taking a small bite of one of the foods and grimacing ever so slightly. _Food's bitter like always… no wait…. _She looked softly up at her two friends, _that's just how war is. _

* * *

><p>Alphonse watched Mei intently, as if she would die the moment he looked away. She was thinner, her movements were slightly shaky as her hand brought a mouthful of soup to her mouth. Swallowing she looked up at Alphonse and smiled kindly.<p>

"Still worried about me?"

He felt his face go red as he managed to stammer out, "O-of course!"

"That's sweet," she murmured. She looked about ready to say something more when the phone beside her bed (which Al had insisted be moved so he could access it quicker) began to ring with shrill, harsh yelps.

"Hello?" Alphonse picked up the phone, his mind hoping that it was his brother.

"Alphonse!" his heart sank.

"Hello, Lieutenant Havoc…" he murmured, "How'd you know I'm here?" _Have you found brother? _

"Well, we called the listed number for Rizenbool and then remembered a rumor about you two going to Xing and since you two only know one person in Xing..."

"Two?" Alphonse asked, "No… brother went to Creta."

"My God…" and for the second time that day, Alphonse felt his heart sink low.

"What's going on?" Al heard the distant sounds of bells, whistles and gunshots. He heard Havoc begin, only to be cut off by a deafening sound which was punctuated by the phone disconnecting.

"Alphonse?" Mei asked, setting her soup aside and looking at him with concern. "What's wrong?"

He debated about telling her what had just happened, for once willingly bring in a loved one. And then he remembered her hands quivering, remembered the gunshots ricocheting through the phone line, remembered that she was injured despite what she said.

"I think my brothers in trouble." Alphonse murmured, trying to stay composed, trying to fight the tears and the utter disbelief that poisoned him. He bowed his head, watching his small hand curl in on itself and stretch the tendons, until a smaller, frail and shaking hand laid itself ontop of his own.

"He'll be okay," Mei murmured, "You'll see."

Edward jumped as another gunshot went off, reverberating the ground beneath his feet. This was getting ridiculous!

He and Leni had only arrived in Crete a few hours ago to utter hell. There was a riot in the streets, the scent and sight of blood everywhere, painting the buildings red; bodies lying lifeless on the ground one fire.

They had staked themselves out in a back ally, facing the town square to see any oncoming threats. Gunmen, alchemists, and people scrambled through the chaos, oblivious to the two hiding in the back corner, the girl shaking with fear and anger.

"Leni," Edward whispered softly, "Relax," though he didn't blame her. The only memory he really had from the Ishval war was the destruction of Rizenbool, and that had been anything but pleasant…

"What's happening?" she whispered back, voice breaking ever so slightly.

Edward shushed her quickly and glanced back out to the town square, a man stood on the other side, his face indiscernible, and his long military coat blowing, fire surrounding him.

"Who's that?" she whispered, Edward narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know…" he felt her hand clutch onto his jacket sleeve and braced his body. He might not have alchemy, but if worst came to worst…

The figure began walking, slowly, as if in a daze towards a building on the side of the ally. Edward leaned as far forward as he dared to see the man's face, but all to no avail. There was nothing that Edward found familiar about him, and a quick glance back at Leni told him all he needed to know.

They were right to fear this Amestrian soldier. He was dangerous, and they were prey.

As the man approached the building Edward sank as low as he could, eying the soldier as if he was a fungus. The scent of blood, smoke, wood, and fire made it's way to him, gagging him, threatening to make him sneeze or cough, or move to wipe his eyes. Just as his throat began to constrict and tighten-

Leni coughed violently. A hacking horrible sound that echoed throughout their hiding place and immediately alerted every damn soldier in the vicinity to their location.

"Shit!" Ed hissed, watching with fear as the soldier turned down the alley, his head cocked and gloved hand raised.

Edward hastily wiped his eyes, the smoke was burning them, the tears blinding him.

He heard the boots stop clacking against the stone and blearily saw the white gloved hand raise up. _Great, _he thought, _now I get done in by a no-name alchemist_… How fitting an end was that for Edward Elric?

Before either he or Leni could cease their coughing, the soldier whispered almost inaudibly,

"I'm sorry…" And Edward realized too late who it was. He could only hope that the man wouldn't hesitate, or most wonderfully stop dead, or wouldn't stop half way through…. God, that would be horrific.

He felt the heat surge towards him, heard the blazing crackle of the flames, and through his closed eyelids saw the dull orange and red mix with blue to form his death. A gasp echoed through the alley, either from the man or Leni he couldn't tell, hell, he couldn't tell if _he _had done it.

And the flames stopped. The light dulled and he heard a thud as the soldier sunk to his knees.

"My god," the words were gasping, "I'm so sorry-"

Why was it hard to breathe? Ed wondered.

"I couldn't stop in time… fuck-" Edward opened his eyes to see the soldier breathing deeply, and noticed himself clutching onto Leni and doing the same.

"Least… you stopped…" Ed huffed, giving a small smile as compensation for being nearly barbecued.

The soldier looked up at him, eyes dark and sunken, face lean and body sagging.

"Fullmetal…" there was that name again, "I couldn't…. how did you…?"

It was then that Edward realized that Leni had done something to the pressure, to the oxygen… to the air in general. He glanced back at her and saw her breathing even, a small cut across the back of her hand bleeding.

"Leni?" he ventured cautiously.

"I stopped it… Edward…." She whispered, smiling gently at him. "Not anything fancy, but I did it." He smiled.

"Thanks for saving us." He turned back to the soldier, giving him a glare, "What's going on here?"

"Not here Ed…" Edward blanched at the name, "Please- let's get somewhere safe-"

"Tell me Mustang!" Ed barked, leaning forward and increasing his glare.

A bullet whizzed past his head, hitting the wall and embedding itself in it. Mustang pulled him and Leni down low.

"At the base Fullmetal." Mustang looked him in the eye, then Leni, "You'll only get killed if we stay here."

Edward nodded and slowly got up. "But when we get there you explain everything!"

"I will."

Edward slowly got to his feet, took a step and felt his automail give out. He braced his arms, ready to catch himself on the ground when he felt Leni and Mustang grab him.

"Fullmetal?"

"Mr. Edward?" hurried glances cast his way.

"I'm fine…" he paused and tried to bend his knee. _Oh shit, _he groaned, lifting his pant leg up slowly, almost afraid of the damage. "The knee joint!"

Mustangs alchemy had gotten his leg… up to the knee was welded together and too stiff to bend and move.

"Mr. Edward- your leg…" Leni frowned.

"C'mon," Mustang began to lead the way, bracing Ed against his shoulder, "We have to move quick before the real strike begins." Edward frowned, halfway wanting to smack the man.

"Yeah," he looked at Leni's confused face and gestured to Mustang, "Leni, this is Colonel Mustang, the Useless Alchemist." He ignored Mustangs scowl, "Colonel, this is Leni, an accomplished Nolhestris!" he smirked as that information got Mustangs attention. He smiled at Leni's blushing face and then looked forward at the carnage. He looked down and noticed small beads of blood dropping from Leni's hand to the stone, leaving a small, almost unnoticeable trail of red.

War… _what the hell happened?_

* * *

><p><em>* <em>Just abrief note on the whole, 'watching Rizenbool get destroyed', I don't remember what episode but Ed remarks in passing one time that Rizenbool used to be a growing town until it got destroyed in the Ishval war by an uprising. Just thought I would clarify that i did not pull that idea out of my pot-o-creativity!  
>Also: good luck on finals, school, summer vacation! ... Why can't people just leave me to write instead of taking these tests? sigh...<p>

Restating the obvious: FMA belongs to the author, not to me... the only thing I own is this plot. :)


	25. Chapter 24: Reunion

Chapter 24: Reunion

The 'real strike' as it turned out, was the annihilation of the town square, decimating the area into a flat plateau and interrogating the survivors.

"The hell-?" Edward had gasped, craning his neck to get a better glimpse behind him.

"A necessary precaution Fullmetal." Mustangs voice deadpanned. Edward stared at Leni, her face set into a grimace, her eyes blurred over with small, unnoticeable tears.

"Precaution? For what-?" he was interrupted as a sharp voice echoed overhead.

"Edward?" he looked up just in time to see feet scurry out of the tall building, hustle down the stairs, a few curses muttered as the feet tripped over boxes and a woman burst through the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly, her amber eyes blazing.

"Nice to see you too Lieutenant Hawkeye…" he murmured, giving a halfhearted nod to her.

Hawkeye looked down to his favored leg, intently watching the gears grind and give small sparks every time they tried to move the knee joint. "Your leg…" she murmured, looking back up into Edward's amber eyes. "Come on, we'll get you taken care of back at the base." She silently allowed her gaze to slide towards the other person holding Ed up. The Cretian couldn't be any older than fourteen, and looked frightened and angry. "Here," she shouldered her rifle and leaned over, offering to take some of the weight off of the young Cretian, "Let me help."

"It's fine." The curt reply didn't phase Riza, after all, she was just the soldier that shot down the child's fellow countrymen.

Edward allowed himself to be led through the decimated streets, buildings collapsing under the weight of fire and bomb shrapnel, tell tale signs of alchemic reactions littering the streets, buildings, and several inured and dead bodies. It sickened him. Those people had been fighting for what they believed in… and they'd been slaughtered like sheep. Edward looked at Leni through the corner of his eye.

She had every right to be dejected, every right to be bitter and refuse to help him, or train with him, and yet she still stood her ground. Edward sighed, sometimes that kid reminded him a little too much of how he used to be… or at least Alphonse.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he felt Mustang tense, Leni not far behind him.

"Dear God…" she whispered, her voice cracking. He felt her arm tighten unconsciously around his and clench in on itself. He looked up from his view of his damaged limb, bracing himself for any number of horrors.

The first thing that popped in his mind was the incident with Maria Ross. He thought back to how the Colonel had stood so vengefully at the feet of the burst corpse and spat out cold words. Edward soon realized though that this was not Maria Ross, that unlike she they were not coming back, there was no cover up, there was no helping the poor bastards, they were gone because of a fiery inferno.

Edward fought back the urge to gag as the stench of charcoal flesh invaded his brain. "The hell happened?" he coughed, turning his head in Mustangs direction with a critical eye. "I'm sick of you bastards not telling me a damn thing so spit it out!"

"Edward, please…" his eyes widened at the sound of Hawkeyes voice. He expected everyone else in the military to keep things from him, but Lieutenant Hawkeye had never kept a thing from him, hell, the woman had been more open about telling him everything that happened in Ishval than most he had talked to. "I promise we'll explain everything when we get to where it's safe." She looked him in the eyes and waited for a response. He nodded once, letting his eyes trail back to the bodies.

"Alright…" he gently nudged Leni as best as he could with his forearm, "Don't look Leni…" he offered.

But Leni didn't react, didn't look away, she simply stared ahead and gave him a soft, reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Edward."

"It's good that one of us is…" he murmured, looking straight ahead to view the billowing series of tents quickly approaching.

* * *

><p>Edward had hoped he wouldn't have a huge welcome, he didn't want to face the crowd with the knowledge that a few feet away there were devastated families mourning over dead corpses.<p>

"C'mon, we'll talk in the cafeteria… and I bet that you two are starving." They followed Mustang to an empty table in the very back and welcomed the small bowls of food that welcomed them.

"It's not much but…" before Hawkeye could say anymore Edward and the kid dug in, savoring the food.

"It's more than we've had." Edward momentarily stopped, looking at Riza's intent stare at Leni. "Lieutenant, this is Leni; she's a Nolhestris…" Ed paused, not sure how to ensure Leni's safety on base. The Amestrian military was not generally known for its racial tolerance in times of war. "She's my apprentice… so I take it she won't be harmed." He didn't pose it as a question.

"Nice to meet you," Hawkeye began, offering her hand to the girl, "I'm Riza Hawkeye, I can assure you we'll do our best to make this… pleasant."

Leni accepted the hand and loosened her muscles up as Riza sat down.

"So what happened?" Edward began, "I mean, we've never been close to Creta, but at the same time what caused this massacre?"

"The attempted assassination of the Xingeese emperor, Ling Yao." Hawkeye watched as Ed paled.

"No. Is he okay-?"

"He's fine, but nevertheless, after the second assassination attempt on Fuhrer Grumman it pushed our treaties aside and the order was sent out to create a shock and awe campaign." Hawkeye finished, taking a sip of water from the glass mug.

"What about Al?" Edward asked, almost fearful of the response. "Is he okay? Was he in the fight?"

"Edward…" she murmured sympathetically, "we don't know specifics. We're just the pawns, not the right hand man."

"Though I do recall hearing that Alphonse Elric was fine and at the palace." Mustang offered.

Edward settled down slightly, his throat uncoiling from his fear.

"That, by the way," Mustang began, looking at Leni, "was fantastic use of Nolhestry."

"Thank you!" she gasped, finishing the last of her food. "It was no big deal…" she swallowed a lump of fright down her throat and smiled back. "I'm just glad we weren't killed!"

"Killed?" Hawkeye cocked her head, "by who?" she felt something akin to anger grown in her stomach as she remembered telling her squad of snipers to hold all firing on anyone who looked like the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"The Colonel here," Edward gave a cocky smile to show his jest, "that's the second time I've been nearly barbequed by you!"

Mustang returned the cocky grin with a little more stress and relief. "Just don't get used to having someone there to save you, Fullmetal." Edward felt something stir in him.

Fullmetal. His code name. That name brought back so many good and bad memories of rampaging around the country with Alphonse, reporting to Colonel bastard, having that fight in the middle of the parade grounds and the clean up afterwards… all of it was gone, along with Alchemy.

"Tired, Edward?" his vision cleared to reveal Hawkeye looking at him worriedly.

"Yeah, just a bit I suppose…" he laughed.

Hawkeye smiled, "I'll go get you two bunks…" she looked at Edwards leg, "I think that Winry will want to see that? Or do you want to use someone closer?"

Edward hesitated, in a war zone someone closer would be nice, but it was Winry's design and she knew how to fix it the best…

"I guess I'll have to go with someone closer." He muttered, thinking of all the explaining he would have to do to Winry when he got back home.

"Then I'll call them up first thing tomorrow morning." Hawkeye left to go secure the bunks, leaving Edward looking at his destroyed leg.

"I guess it could be worse…"

"How so?" Leni asked.

"I could have lost my arm...again." He laughed weakly.

* * *

><p>*AN: Okay! I'm back! I just wanted to wish everyone a happy summer regardless of what you're doing!


	26. Chapter 25: The Mechanic

Chapter 25: The Mechanic

*A/N: I'm back! Let me just say in my defense: not enough hours in the day! I also have another, very important note before I let everyone read. I recently watched the new Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood movie and said 'oh crap'. This movie did not have an influence on this story and because of that I'm pretending that it never existed, so sorry if you were hoping/expecting that. So without further ado, here's another chapter: enjoy!

* * *

><p>Edward felt the suns heat on his face before he came out of his dream. Rubbing an irritated hand across his forehead he blinked up stupidly, giving a death glare to the irritant.<p>

"Morning, Edward!" he groaned and cast a quick glance over at his apprentice. "Sleep well?"

He groaned again and slowly stretched, making damn sure to keep his leg flat and not to jar the already fragile gears anymore than he had to. "Sure, that's one way to put it…" he propped himself up against the wall the bed was pushed against and winced as his thigh began to twinge in pain along with his aching hip. "Damn it all…" he muttered, furiously rubbing the hip bone and gritting his teeth against the pain.

"What's wrong sir?" Leni asked, jumping up from her seat on the opposite bunk and worriedly looking at the prosthetic.

"Nothing." Edward winced again and coughed out tiredly, "the weight just pulls so much on my damn leg when it's just dead weight and not doing anything."

"Oh…" Leni looked up and quickly finished, "the Lieutenant wanted me to tell you that the mechanic was here and waiting for you." Leni cocked her head at him, "Want me to get you some food before we go down?"

Ed opened his mouth to say yes, his stomach growling furiously, but then remembered the consequences of eating before getting a limb reattached. He'd seen a guy eat and then suffer _those _consequences before and that had not been pleasant.

"No, I'll grab something later." He leaned over and gripped the automail, careful to support it as Granny and Winry had once said. (If he remembered correctly they had told him how to do it because "it's never broken enough to force you to sit down once in a while".) Supporting the limb at the ankle and the port he slowly turned his body to set it on the floor.

"Are you sure you should be walking on it?" Leni hovered curiously in the background, ignoring Edward's grunt and instead readying herself to be turned into a crutch.

"I don't see the harm," Edward sighed, tugging his boots on and tying them viciously, "At least Colonel Bastard welded it into a solid tree trunk instead of a twisted mesh." He pulled his tattered coat over his suitcase and warily eased himself into a standing position, waiting for the limb to give out. Grinning to himself he took a quick glance around the bunk.

Sparse and getting hotter by the minuet Ed debated for a brief moment on whether or not he should bring their bags along so as to depart as soon as it was over, that idea was mute though as he realized two things. One: there was no guarantee that he would be able to leave after this; and two: there were still some things he needed to discuss with Hawkeye.

Gently he took a step and smiled as his leg held, though his bones screamed in displeasure. Each step brought him closer to the door slowly, and soon his hand was on the doorknob, waiting as Leni patiently waited beside him, offering her hand for balance.

* * *

><p>Alphonse was impressed at how two days of rest could improve Mei's attitude and health. There was no more worrying about her premature death at the hands of an attacker she never saw, just as there was no more worrying about when we would next see Edward.<p>

"Our train leaves in a couple of hours, Alphonse." Mei smiled, gently cleaning her knives off and putting them in her pouch. "Are you excited?"

"Relieved more like…" Alphonse sighed and looked at her, "I guess we should just be thankful for once that my brother's not going anywhere anytime soon for the next couple of days; and to Ling for getting us a train to Creta."

"Yeah," she frowned sadly, "he told me yesterday that he would've come and seen us off but with everything that's been going on…"

"I understand." Alphonse tensed as a moment of silence descended upon them.

Mei continued her work, "Well, it was very nice of Miss Riza to call you." The Chang paused for a moment, then looked at Alphonse, "I do have to ask though, why didn't Winry go?"

Al looked at Mei, sitting upright in a chair and finishing up her packing and smiled, "She wanted to but apparently in Rush Valley she had a couple of kids that needed prosthetics and Granny didn't see any reason why she couldn't go and get out of the house."

Mei smiled and looked up at Alphonse, "Well, I'm through packing." She gestured to the door, "Do you want to get going?"

Alphonse looked at her and nodded, carefully standing by as she got up.

* * *

><p>Edward Elric couldn't believe his luck. The woman in front of him was definitely <em>not<em> Winry Rockbell, but instead her grandmother.

"What have you done this time Ed?" the woman clucked, shaking her pipe out and refilling it as she examined his leg. The room was just the same as all the others, bare, sterile, and white washed.

"In all fairness _I_ didn't do it." He grumbled, watching her intently as she poked at his joint again.

"Mmhmm." She didn't respond further, just continued her prodding until his nerves reacted.

"Anyway, where's Winry? I thought she had this whole big deal of 'taking care of _her _automail'?"

"She's back in Rush Valley." Pinako smiled softly, "There were a couple of kids who needed the prosthetics and when she told me that she was going to drop everything to go to your sorry asses aid, I told her that those children needed her more than you at the moment so I volunteered-"

"Speaking of which, why were _you _here so quickly?" he gave her a sly glance and snickered as she frowned.

"I had to pick up a few specialty parts and medications in Central." She sighed, puffing smoke high into the still air. "I honestly probably wouldn't have come at all had I not been halfway here."

Edward smiled knowingly. One of them would've come, or at least been ready to welcome him home. It was like a Rockbell tradition; pretend that you don't care about the _patient_, but when shit hits the fan you're the first person there.

"Well, that and the fact that I received a call a few days ago that Alphonse was coming to meet you here and you know how it makes me feel to check up on you two once in a while."

Edward felt his face pale, felt his blood start pounding. "Alphonse?" he asked, almost fearing and hoping in a mixed up slur that he'd misheard Granny.

"Yeah," she smiled, the smell of tobacco gently wafting from her and landing around Ed, "He left sometime today, I don't know when specifically." She watched as Ed's lips gave a small, almost indiscernible smile.

"I- that's good…" Edward winced as his leg gave a particularly sharp throb and caught the expression on Pinako's face. "What?" he brought the heated flesh of his right hand down and carefully massage the bone and smiled slightly at her slight frown.

"Nothing…" Pinako bent over the limb and blinked a few times. _What the hell has he done _this _time?_ She thought, gently running a hand over the welded metal.

"It's gotta come off, doesn't it?" Edward growled out viciously.

"Sorry Ed," Pinako took another look at the knee joint, "I don't see anyway I can fix it while it's on you… we'll, anyway that wouldn't cause a whole hell of a lot of pain to you." She took another step back to contemplate the damage, _Ball bearings loose, the tension wire's gone… for that part most of the gears and nerve receptors are pretty much stuck together by the sound. I guess the best I can hope for at this point is for the port not to be melted all to hell…. _"Edward," she began, her tone rising slightly, "What in the hell have you done to it?"

Edward blanched and then gave a snort, "_I _didn't do anything to it! _I _was only caught in the crossfire. Jeeze why does everyone always think that-"

Pinako snorted back, "I've dug enough bullets out of that stupid leg and there is no way _that _mess is just a lot of bullets. The damn things nearly welded solid! What were they aiming at you, hmm? A blowtorch?"

"Of a sort, goddamn flame alchemy more like it." Edward rolled his eyes, "But what's done is done, I just need it fixed…again."

Pinako smiled and gently slapped his flesh and blood hand away from the bone, reaching for a small lever on the side of the port. "It's not that big a deal Ed," she deftly flipped the one on the other side as well and ignored Ed's slight intake of breath as the nerves lost feeling once again, "I'll just do my best until Winry can refine it." She set the newly detached limb off on the nearest counter and set her hands on her hips.

"But you can fix it right?" his tone was almost hesitant, as if afraid of the answer. "I mean, Winry's design isn't too…. Strange from yours?" Pinako almost busted out laughing, but instead she slowly faced him and gave a slight chuckle.

_Who does he think I am?_ She thought, looking at his expression, _I'm not _that _senile yet. _"Ed," she smiled, "who do you think spent hours, no, _days, _helping her design that model?" Pinako smiled and took another puff of her pipe, "I can fix it just fine, it just won't have all the little refinements that Winry can put on it. But trust me, it'll work pretty much the same." Pinako gave a slight frown.

"I don't like it when doctors frown at me," he joked.

"There is one other thing…" she quickly pulled out the spare leg which had loomed in the corner of the room.

Edward groaned, "I hate that thing…"

Pinako slowly slid it into the port and made sure the lever held it in place. _Not only is it to big, but it isn't half as good as the one at home. _She looked at Ed and was blunt, "I'm gonna have to wing it and get it to fit. I didn't plan on coming out here or I would've brought my own spare." She pulled a small black cord from her apron and tied it around the thickest part of the limb and port levers, "It doesn't connect even remotely to the nerves so it's just a crutch, and as for the size issue… well, I've tied it pretty tight so it hopefully won't slip."

Carefully Edward slid off of the low table and wobbled like a foal on its feet for a few moments, uncertain of the new crutch.

"It's better than nothing." He looked at Granny and gave a sincere smile, "Thanks Gran."

"No problem Ed." She turned to the leg, "Oh! And before I forget," she turned with that mischievous glint in her eyes, "I charge extra for doing personal calls."

Edward hesitated a moment before retorting, "I guess I'll just have to pay it back to you with dinner."

Pinako gave a slight grunt in mock approval and dove into her work.

Edward exited and simply "forgot" to mention that on this base, the food was half rate.


	27. Chapter 26: Shooting Lessons

Chapter 26: Shooting Lessons

Edward Elric could barely contain his anxiety. Alphonse was alright. Alphonse was alright and coming to meet him. Edward wolfed down his food, ignoring the stares the other soldiers gave him, ignoring their murmurs and raised eyebrows at his Cretian companion.

"So that lady's gonna fix your automail?" Edward blinked up at Leni and nodded.

"Yeah," he laughed and gave the substitute limb a gently tap, checking to make sure that it was still in place, "she's never let me down before."

Leni waited a moment, watching her teacher with a soft eye. "So, when can we move on with my lessons?" her voice was sounding more hopeful than she had dared.

"I dunno, when can you draw transmutation circles correctly everytime, even in your sleep?" Edward took another bite and gestured to the table, "Draw me one here."

Leni pulled out her short piece of chalk and proceeded to draw the rudimentary transmutation circle that Edward had shown her on the table.

"I don't see why this part is so important, shouldn't it just become second nature after a while?" drawing another line Leni grumbled.

"Believe me," Edward watched her draw another line and smiled, "you do not want to get it wrong." A brief memory of his youth, when he had gotten one wrong popped into his head, interrupted only by the clacking sounds as the chalk stick moved across the table.

"Is that how you lost your arm and leg?" another clack of the chalk and Edward fell uncharacteristically silent.

"No." Edward lowered his gaze, concentrating on the gentle clacks and taps of the chalk finishing up its complicated drawing and being set aside. "Okay, let's see what you've got!" he hurriedly changed the subject and peered over at the drawing.

The array was rudimentary, a few mistakes scattered throughout the foundation of it, the lines too thick in some points.

"I'm sorry," Leni looked up at him, into his eyes, "I didn't mean to bring up a touchy subject…"

"It's okay," Edward smiled, "This circle however, is not." He picked up the withered chalk stick and drew another transmutation circle beside hers, pointing out the flaws and errors, showing tricks of the trade and slowly deriving her attention away from his clenched hand that rested on his fake, borrowed knee. _I know what I have to do now…_ he thought, having been smacked back into the reality that he had no alchemy, no protection other than Leni the young Nolhestris; the incident with Colonel Bastard had convinced him as well, _there's no way around it…._

* * *

><p>Alphonse felt the reverberations around him before he really remembered what they were. Just as he, for a moment, thought that the head nestled up against his shoulder, sleeping quite peacefully was his brothers.<p>

"Alphonse?" with the sound of his name, a very feminine voice broke through his illusions and smacked him into reality. "'s wrong?" the sleep slurred voice echoed through the compartment, the head of Mei lifting up and smiling at him groggily.

"Nothing, just…." Alphonse trailed off, blushing a little when he realized how close he'd been to Mei.

"Excited?" she smiled kindly, subconsciously giving Shao Mei a pet on the head.

"Yeah…" he smiled at her, "I think that we should get some more rest." He chuckled lightly, _cause that way I can get my bearings, _he thought as an afterthought. Mei hesitated for a moment, but the prospect of more sleep lured her to sleep.

"Okay, wake me up….." she murmured, her head resting back against Al's shoulder, Shao Mei cuddling closer to her.

Alphonse smiled, his eyes glued to the outside window. They couldn't be more than a few hours from Crete… he found his thoughts flickering towards Ed. They hadn't even gone their separate ways for too long before something went wrong in the world that they got involved in. Al laughed at the thought, the Elric brothers, _forever getting involved_.

* * *

><p>"So they couldn't get you fixed right away Edward?" Hawkeye asked, cocking her head as he shrugged, "I thought you'd be a bit more upset than that."<p>

"Well, shit happens, I guess…" Edward swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up into her deadly eyes, eyes that were trained on the disassembled pistol in front of both of them. "Hey, Lieutenant Hawkeye, I-I have a favor to ask you."

"What is it Edward?" she asked, her voice unwavering even though her fingernails were slowly becoming stained reddish brown from the rust and residual blood left on the gun's innards. Lifting her head slightly she caught the look of distaste on his face as he eyed the broken down gun.

"I don't want to bug you- I mean – it isn't _your_ job to… help me-"

"Edward," she spoke firmly, but gently, "You won't bug me with _any _request. After all the things you've helped us out on it's the least we can do." She smiled, putting the gun down, "Besides, I'd like to feel like I'm doing something good in this place."

Edward frowned, hesitating to ask her to teach him how to look someone in the eye and shoot them.

"And-" she continued, trying to consol him, "I-"

"Want to learn how to shoot a gun!" he gasped out, setting a determined look on his face.

A moment of silence settled upon them. A tense and still moment of dead silence.

"Are you sure Edward?" Hawkeye looked at him worriedly, "I know you have a distaste for it-"

"I came to the realization that I can't get involved in all of this if I can't protect myself…. And who better to learn from than the 'Hawks Eyes'?" a wry smile etched itself upon his face.

"Alright… meet me in the hallway in five minuets." Edward nodded and left the mess hall, ignoring the people milling about and pointing at him.

Hawkeye finished cleaning up the pistol, _five minuets to compose yourself… five minuets for me to get ready to teach you to pull that trigger…_she thought, putting the gun back together and slowly making her way out into the hallway where Edward was leaning on the wall, eyes staring off into space.

"Are you ready, Edward?" she asked, giving him the option to back out.

"Yeah." His eyes turned hard, his voice gained the determined tone that she knew so well.

"Come on," she began walking, waiting until he was beside her and keeping up with her pace, "And remember, you're free to back out at any time." Edward kept his gaze forward, nodding only once.

* * *

><p>Alphonse looked around the decaying streets and felt his stomach turn uncomfortably. Why was Edward here? Why were they mixed up in all of this? And Ed… Alphonse felt a fear he had not known before grip him, his brother had no alchemy, no way to protect himself- at least – no way that Alphonse knew Ed was good at.<p>

"How horrible…" Mei whispered, drawing her tightly clenched fist up to her mouth. "And Edward's caught up in all of this?" Alphonse swallowed back a growing lump and nodded once, trying to keep his voice steady.

"There's a soldier over there," in the sparse station only one man stood like a sentinel, his Amestrian uniform billowing in the slight desert wind. "I bet he can take us to the base with special clearance or something…" Alphonse gently took Mei's hand and smiled at her, "It'll be okay Mei, I promise."

Her eyes showed gratitude, and ever so slightly she picked up her suitcase and walked with him over to the guard.

"Hello," Alphonse gave a salute, trying to show the most curtosy he possibly could, "I'm Alphonse Elric, here to see Edward Elric." Alphonse lowered his hand and waited as the soldier looked down at him with contempt in his gaze.

"This is no place for civilians," the man coldly replied, his hand moving over to his holstered gun, "Let alone for some kids seeking a thrill."

Alphonse narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Kids?" he asked, keeping his voice even. Alphonse didn't anger easily, but when he did- "I'm seventeen." He supplied, then nodded to Mei (who was practically seething with hatred towards the man), "And she's fourteen."

The man smiled cruelly, "Still kids in my book, now go on- catch the next train out of this hell hole."

"Not until I talk to Edward Elric. Now, soldier, where's HQ?" the man gave a short laugh.

"Yeah, like he's worth your time." The man snorted, "Or any of ours, the guys just a fake, a relic of worthlessness." Alphonse felt his fists clench on to Mei's hand tighter, "After all, the guys all washed up – not even using alchemy!"

"You'll mind what you say about my brother." Alphonse gritted out, his patience waning, "Or you'll answer to me."

"You've got spunk, but do you really think this is any place for two sniveling brats like yo-" he was interrupted as Mei's fist released Al's hand and hit his nose open palmed, pulling back only when a sufficient cracking sound had echoed throughout the pained silence.

"I'm sorry, I do believe that he was _telling _you to shut up, take us to the base or you'll answer to _both _of us." Mei clasped Al's hand again and picked up her dropped case. "I assume that won't be a problem?"

The man staggered back, holding his now bleeding nose and muttered a curse.

"I'm sorry," Mei drawled out, "was that a yes?"

"Follow me." He lurched forward, leading the way with the two in tow.

"That was amazing Mei," Alphonse breathed, "Though maybe we shouldn't have…"

Mei smiled, releasing Al's hand to pull on her suitcase with two hands, "It was justified, all those things he was saying about Edward, and then us." Her face became framed with disgust, "_He's _the slime of the military; not Edward."

It was then, on the way to see his brother, that Alphonse realized he had an ally, a person who was there to defend them.

* * *

><p>"Remember your posture Edward," Hawkeye called out, her eyes moving over his body's posture once more, "Keep your spine aligned, your eyes on the target, and know where your feet are going to be after the recoil hits." She waited patiently as he corrected his stance and raised the gun slowly. "Breathe," she watched his shoulders move up and down slowly, his pulse still fighting with his lungs for control over the respiration pace.<p>

She gave him a few moments silence, suddenly thankful that the only other people out here was Havoc (who had tactfully ceased his shooting and was instead keeping his attention on the ground), and Mustang (who was less tactfully looking over the fence with a bored expression).

"Good, now next time you inhale I want you to hold it in, and then slowly release it." She waited as he did as he was told, "Now keep your eyes on the target," she waited until his diaphragm was as collapsed as it could be, "Pull the trigger."

_Bang! _

The shot rang out, the small amount of recoil shifting Ed's posture the tiniest amount to throw him out of alignment.

"Did… did I hit it?" his breath came a little shaky at first, then grew steadier.

Riza smiled, looking over at the target. The smallest fracture in the wood was at the edge, signaling that Edward Elric, the once Fullmetal Alchemist had hit it.

"Yeah Edward." She called, standing up and walking over to him. "Why don't we take a break?"

"No," he shook his head, readying his body once again for the recoil, "I'm going to get this right."

Riza looked at his posture, his determined eyes, the way his hand steadied itself to fire the small caliber pistol she'd given him.

"Okay," she walked back to her seat behind him, watching as he applied the previous methods, allowing himself ample time to memorize and correct the feeling in his body.

"He's coming along." Riza allowed her gaze to shift to the Colonel, smiling slightly in welcome.

"Yes sir." She looked at Edward once more. Another shot rang out and this time she saw the signs a bit further in, no longer grazing the edge.

"So we've had orders to go control the newest threat in sector 14." Mustang lowered his gaze. "Apperantly there's a few labs they want 'neutralized'."

Riza hummed in response, her attention still focusing on Edward.

"Hey, Leiutenant?" she looked up as Jean Havoc suddenly appeared beside her.

"What is it Jean?" she cocked her head, noting how he had a grayish palor to his skin.

"I just…. Well," he shifted nervously, "I've been hearing some rumors, and none of them mean any good news for Ed."

"Like what?" Hawkeye and Mustang answered simultaneously.

"Some of the foot soldiers are beginning to think that these new uprisings are because of a spy in our ranks, the kid Ed brought along as his student." Havoc looked up at her and Mustang, "I just thought we should be on our toes." He flicked the cigarette out of his mouth and holstered his gun.

"And we will." Hawkeye smiled.

"Do you think we should tell him?" Mustang asked, resting his head on his folded hands.

"Not right now." Riza concluded, "Let him finish target practice and get re-adjusted first, then we can tell him." She noted with satisfaction that by the fourth shot he'd hit the first outer red line.

Edward dropped his posture, relaxing his breathing and shoulders and quickly removed the clip.

"Leuitenant," he began, backing away slowly from the range, "I think I'm done for today…" Edward turned around, his eyes glazed over slightly from adrenaline.

"Okay Edward," quietly and slowly she reached out and retrieved the gun from him, smiling to show him that she understood. "That was a good first session." She watched as he lowered his gaze to the concrete beneath him and shrugged.

"I suppose," he took in a deep breath and joked, "Though I'll never compare to you, Leiutenant."

She smiled as Havoc and the Colonel each chuckled. "Edward," she began, hoping to break the news of the possible situation gently, "there's a situation-"

"Edward!" a small voice piped up, as none other than Caine Fury ran up, his breath all but gone and his brow sweaty. "I saw them bring in Alphonse and a girl!" His gaze darkened, "They're trying to take them in for questioning now!"

Edwards eyes darkened, his smile turned into a small frown. "Where?" he asked, in a dangerously low tone.

"The tech building!" Fury saluted the three officers in an afterthought, while still watching Edward intently.

"Come on Fullmetal," Mustang opened the gate and began leading the way with Hawkeye and Edward in tow, "We'll get this settled." Edward only brooded in silence.

"Poor bastards…" Havoc muttered, lighting a cigarette and putting it between his lips.

"I know, I hope they'll be okay." Fury mused.

"Not those three," Jean shrugged, "I meant all the personnel involved with this little scheme."

"Oh!" Fury looked up at the ominously bright blue sky, "Well… I guess I feel sorry for them too…"

* * *

><p>Izumi felt the blackness, felt the pressure that it was putting on her. So much that it was hard to breathe, let alone talk or yell or even shriek at the pain that occasionally coursed through her body. "Honey?" she chocked out, blinking to try and clear the darkness. "Sig?"<p>

There was no hint that he was beside her, no scent was like his, no light to see with, not even an instinctual feeling that he was _there_. Just nothingness.

"I swear! If you've done anything to him! If you've hurt him!" she shrieked, "Nothing is gonna-"

"Whoa sweetheart," her tormentors voice chastised lovingly, "Let's not get off on the wrong foot, he's alive at least." The voice coughed a bit, "And you're mistaken sweetheart if you think that _anything_ can stop _me_." And the blackness increased, shutting Izumi off from the world.

* * *

><p>*AN: well, here we are finally! As a recap: Fullmetal alchemist is not mine; this is not based off of the newest movie; I estimated the ages;and I only own the plot and filler characters! So enjoy!


	28. Chapter 27: Reunion

Chapter 27: Reunited

Quick note: cursing is much more prevalent in this chapter

When Edward Elric learned that his brother had been put into an interrogation room and chained down like a dog he nearly exploded. To say that Edward Elric was pissed about the treatment of his brother – his _brother,_ who had helped save Amestris just as many times as he had if not more – was a huge understatement.

"Just let us do the talking Edward," he was practically seeing red and couldn't place who had said it. He chalked it up to anger, and the now constant throbbing of his stump (the recoil from the shooting lesson had appearently been enough to aggrevate the remaining bone).

"We'll get Alphonse out of there as soon as we can, but we can't do that in the middle of a huge argument and fight." Another voice, trying to calm him and keep him settled down. _Complacent_, his brain roared, even though his logic told him that the voices were right. _Let them handle it and get their hands dirty, no fuss no muss._ One part of his thoughts trailed, growing dimmer with each passing second. _But it's Al, what the hell has he _ever _done to anyone? They have no right to treat him like this, no right-_ he forced the oncoming headache debate back to the recesses of his mind and desperately told himself to wait patiently, there was an explanation for everything, Al would have had a good reason.

They turned another sharp corner in the endless halls of white and blue only to come face to face with two soldiers, one holding a bloody rag to his nose and the other watching the interrogation room with hungry eyes.

"You got beat up by _that?_" the man jerked his thumb at the person in the cell and laughed, his beard quivering with every jostle of his shoulders and neck. "The 'Great and Powerful' Lieutenant Bradford got beat up by a damn _child!_"

The man with a bloodied nose grimaced and tilted his head forward experimentally, "She was a little bitch, hell on wheels, and as for the guy –" Bradford snorted, "I'm hardly surprised, after all; he's an Elric."

Edward felt himself bristle, felt his vision threaten to black out just what he was about to do to the man, felt his feet leave the floor – and Mustang and Hawkeye grab his shoulders, effectively holding him back.

"At attention, soldiers!" Mustang barked, a little of the red haze in Edward's vision clearing with the order that seemed to promise him vengeance.

"Colonel Mustang!" Bradford and friend snapped to attention, the bloody cloth falling to the floor as haphazardly as the salute to the superior had been. "Sorry Sir!" they echoed, keeping their gazes distant and respectful.

"At ease," Mustang slowly released Ed's shoulder and looked beyond them to the holding cell, his face drawn. "What's the situation?"

"Classified Sir!" Bradford wheezed, his voice nasally. Mustang ignored them and stood on his tip toes, peering into the room.

Edward did the same, his eyes narrowing at what he saw.

Alphonse and Mei were shackled to the table and chairs in the room by their feet and hands, their heads lay on the desk, eyes nervously darting back and forth towards each other, and the gunmen behind them, rifles pointed at them lazily.

"Sonofabitch," Edward hissed, his anger seething towards the two soldiers in front of him.

"Edward," Riza tried to remind, at the same time gently releasing her hand from his shoulder.

"No, why in the hell is my brother in there?" Edward raised his voice, casting his eyes towards the two.

"He assaulted Bradford!" the bearded man snapped, his gaze loosing all respect and instead gaining a smugness toward Ed. "And in a war zone too, the kids deserve what they get."

"Watch… your… tone." Edward snarled.

"Who are you to chastise us?"

"Enough!" another bark from Mustang and the two went silent, still glaring at Edward. "Not another word!" Edward wasn't sure if Colonel Bastard was talking about him or the two goons, or both parties, and frankly, he didn't give a rats ass.

Edward deliberately stepped towards the door and kept his eyes firmly peeled for any movement to cause harm. He reached the door handle and had just opened it when words floated through his brain, a reminder of a taunt.

"By the way, Lieutenant Bradford, what did you mean when you said, 'I'm hardly surprised, he's an Elric'?" his tone was low, dangerous and without waiting for an answer he stepped into the door and looked at the gunmen, "Out." He pointed at the door, "Now."

As soon as they had left Edward turned his attention to Al and none other than Mei Chang.

"So, some reunion, huh?" Al joked, raising his head up and then looking at his hands, "Do you think that you can help me?"

Edward chuckled and nodded, "Yeah," he walked around to Al's side, "So how'd you end up here?"

"Mei's version of diplomacy," Al supplied, grinning as Edward rotated his hands well enough for him to perform alchemy on his bonds. Alphonse tried to not use alchemy around Ed, he didn't want to make his brother sad, or reminiscent, or anything but happy. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

Feeling the pulse of the metal atoms rearranging Al pulled apart the remaining link of metal with ease and helped Mei out of her set. Stretching his arms and legs out Al looked at his brother and smiled.

"I'm glad that you're okay, brother." He spoke softly, keeping his eyes only on his brother until voices began to echo from outside the hall.

In distinguishable from their sound, Edward and company could only guess at who was saying what outside, berating the soldiers for their form.

"And how _dare_ you, they were two children! You are a trained soldier, how _dare_ you even think about retaliating in this fashion!" Edward heard a harsh intake of breath and gave a small smile as the voice continued on, "And every personel were given strict orders to escort an Alphonse Elric and company to this base to meet with Edward Elric!"

Alphonse and Mei took a step towards the door, slowly loosening their faces from their smiles into small, serious frowns. Edward followed after a moments pause, his feet dragging with a slight limp as another hushed voice murmured out an unintelligible string of words.

"Those _children_ have given everything they have and more to protect people- even sorry ass people like yourselves!" Edward continued on like he had not heard. "Just remember _that _when you next speak to them." With a small smile in between gratitude and something else he couldn't quite place, Ed walked out, past the two soldiers who were throwing him timid hateful glares, and gave a nod to Mustang and Hawkeye.

The group of three had just hit the hallway when Edward heard Alphonse give a slight gasp and ask, "Brother, what happened to your leg?" Edward groaned inwardly.

"Got shot?" he supplied nonchalantly.

"What?" Alphonse yelped, eyes piercing like daggers at his new limp that was only growing worse. "Are you okay? Is Granny fixing your leg-"

"Yeah Al…" Edward smiled back at him, "Oh, and before I forget," he stopped suddenly, "There's someone I want you to meet." With that thought still in his brain Edward began heading towards Leni's room, where he was sure she was going to be. _It's good to be back together, Al…_

* * *

><p>"I thought the kid was gonna blow a gasket, you weren't wrong!" the harsh voice laughed. "So do you think he'll come?"<p>

"Yes." The other voice, the one that Izumi recognized as being with her the longest hissed, "I wouldn't doubt that for a second. It's not a matter of it, but when he realizes she's gone."

The other one groaned. "I hate these 'family types'." Izumi bit her tongue, fighting off the urge to retort within her dark prison.

"What do you bastards want with him?" she yelled, all her resolve gone as she realized that she was a _pawn, _something to lure in Ed and Al; something to use to kill them, to hurt them.

"It's not a matter of what we want with _him_, sweetheart, but what we want with _you_." Izumi struggled to breathe as the air closed in on her again.

Fighting to obtain oxygen she blinked, the dark momentarily clearing as a light seemed to flip on. She gave a snort when she saw who was standing in front of her.

_Oh of course, _she thought wryly, _they would be wearing all black, and masks, and have scars…_ And then all went black.

* * *

><p>AN: so I'm not sure how much I like this chapter... hmmm... well, I feel that I should explain what I was trying to describe. What I was _trying _to show was that there are still people in the military, even in the war that are right there, and add a sense of 'having a person on the inside' sort of deal. I was also trying to deal with putting the two in a scenario that showed how they'd changed, and reacted to dealing with assholes in the military (now that one's without alchemy, and the other one is now in a human body) so like I said, not one of my favorite chapters.

P.S: sorry for the horrible spelling!


	29. Chapter 28: Leni

Chapter 28: Leni

A/N: The italicized part that's been separated is a brief flashback to Risembool in the Ishval war.

Leni lay on the hard military bed and heaved out a breathy sigh. Maybe it had all been a mistake? Maybe coming out here with Edward Elric, the once alchemist had been a mistake. She blinked up through her green eyes and thought back to the train station where the 'peacekeepers' had been holed up, though in Leni's mind to call anyone who killed, tortured and maimed people for any reason a 'peacekeeper' was bullshit.

With another sigh Leni raised her hand, staring at the think white lines of age old cuts on the back of her hand, forming a sigil that she could draw while closing her eyes. _If only alchemy came that easily…_ she scoffed internally, watching the candle flame flicking in the slight breeze.

_If only it came that easily when I'm doing alchemy, _she lamented, giving a slight thought as to the air molecules floating in the deceivingly empty air about her. _To expand the flame, the oxygen molecules need to be expanded, collide with the flame, feed it._ With these thoughts the flame slowly began to expand, flickering only slightly as it did so. _To dim it we drop the pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen and nitrogen; _as suddenly as it had grown the flame died down, returning a little below its original height.

"Oh well," she smiled, getting up and inspecting the slight cut that was appearing on her calloused hand. It was a thin trickle of blood that caught her attention the most, slowly, unwaveringly moving down the line from where the deepest pressure cut was.

She hardly felt the pain anymore of doing Nolhestry. Leni smiled nostalgically, before; when she was younger and her and Karon had had all the time in the world to learn and study with gramps (before this _war_), she had flinched at every single cut. But she had kept doing Nolhestry, she never had any doubts or hesitations about doing it.

"Hey, Leni," she sat upright and looked at the door, noting Edward's voice.

"C'mon in Edward," she slowly stood up, making room for him to sit on the bed and slowly released all pressure in the room, returning it to its normal state.

When someone other than Edward stepped through the door she immediately noted the similarities between the two. Same color eyes, same hair (though this man had shorter, neater hair that her teacher's ponytail), and similar facial structures.

"Oh!" she moved to offer her hand, wondering momentarily if there had been a terrible mix up and she had _hallucinated _her mentor's voice drifting through the halls. "I am so sorry-"

"Hi!" the man was informal, giving her his hand and smiling reassuringly, "My name's Alphonse Elric, I'm Edwards younger brother." Leni stared at him, noting how at ease he seemed to be to greet her, a total stranger.

"I'm Leni…" she took his hand in her own and shook it firmly, "Edward's apprentice." She smiled a little at Alphonse's shocked expression and looked past him to where Edward and an unfamiliar female stood.

"Oh!" Alphonse turned his head to glare at his brother, _you have an apprentice? You?_ The glare stated.

_Yeah, me. _Edward nonverbally retorted, a smug smile exploding on his face as he limped past Mei Chang and into the room, noting how Leni gestured to her bed, and groaning as he sat heavily down on it, nodding in a breathless gratitude.

"So has Ed taught you anything or has he just been useless?" Al joked, moving aside as Mei moved to stand beside him.

"He's taught me a lot!" Leni began, her voice faltering as she looked at the newcomer.

"Hello, I'm Mei Chang, from Xing." Mei bowed low, respectfully and looked at the Cretian girl. "Pleased to meet you Leni." The tension in the room seemed to break as all became acquainted with each other.

"Leni here's a Nolhestris," Edward declared, giving his apprentice an encouraging smile, "A good one too." Leni lowered her gaze, feeling something in her swell with the acknowledgement of being called 'great' at anything.

Alphonse smiled at her, "It'd be great if you could teach us some-"

Before she could reply however, the candle flame began to dance. Back and forth, growing larger and smaller as the air pressure changed just the minutest of amounts. Leni frowned, the feeling, the feeling of the air shifting to accommodate nolhestry; the pressure of war looming over the base.

"Leni?" the girl name Mei Chang asked, cocking her head and looking at the flame, then back at Leni. "Is something wrong?"

A resounding crash followed by the whine of sirens and gunshots echoed off in answer, drawing all of their attention towards the outside, now billowing with action.

"Alchemists to your posts!" a scream protruded. A shadow crossed Alphonse's face, his gaze briefly meeting his older brothers only to slowly back out of the room.

"Alphonse?" Mei queried, her voice unsteady as another round of shots caused the room to lightly shake, the candle flame wavering and dancing even more rapidly.

"I've got to help," he looked at Edward, then turned and hurried towards the battle. Edward allowed his gaze to grow hazy for a moment, before snapping back to attention.

"Don't worry," Edward tried to calm, his thoughts fleeing to Granny, working near the wall; alone.

"Edward," Leni began, watching the flame as it grew taller, the air growing thicker with oxygen.

"It's okay Leni, we'll just go and-" he moved towards the door.

"Edward!" she lunged for him and Mei just as the flame blew outwards, filling the room with the scent of wax and burnt paper. The air was getting thicker, harder to breathe. "C'mon!" grabbing at any part of them she could, Leni tugged the two out of the room, just as the flame began to billow out once again.

Expelling the smoke and wax out of his lungs Edward followed Leni, grabbing onto Mei and tugging her close. Running as fast as his damn leg would allow, Edward followed Leni through the corridors, trusting her experiences of being in battles and her sense of direction. As the halls flashed past him, Edward couldn't help his thoughts.

* * *

><p><em>The smoke, the fires, the soldiers knocking on doors. Though it hadn't been anything horrible, it had been enough to scare them as kids. <em>

"_It's fine Edward," his mother had soothed, after answering the door the umpteenth time that night. "They just want to make sure we're safe." But he _hadn't _felt safe, Al had started crying, their mother leaving him to go and comfort Al, her hand silently beckoning him to follow her into the sitting room. _

"_Mom?" he'd whispered, slowly walking into the room where his mom was bouncing Al on her lap, singing softly to him to ease his crying. _

"_Now, now," she smiled and waited until Edward was sitting by her feet, and Alphonse had quieted down, "they just make a lot of noise and ruckus." At this point she brought her lips to meet each of their foreheads and placed a gentle kiss there, "They'll be gone in the morning." _

_Later that night, when Alphonse had drifted off and Edward was still in a dozy state, he heard the knock on the door, heard Winry's parents enter and begin talking to his mom. He didn't know what about, all he knew was that they mentioned that the military was moving on, that they were coming back soon for more volunteers (although the way his aunt and uncle had spat out the word made Ed think that it wasn't a very nice way of asking)_. _And then they had left, after his mom had offered a small whisper of hope, asking her to take care of Winry should anything happen to her grandma._

* * *

><p>"Keep up!" Leni shouted, ducking behind a running group of soldiers heading past them and hurrying into a supply closet, cold and dark and very uninviting. "We should be safe here," she sighed and turned around, finally facing the dejected group.<p>

Mei Chang's eyes looked wide and alert, her muscles flinched at any and all sounds, and the… Leni cocked her head at the black and white blob that was crouching over the girls shoulder, growling softly. Edward was more compose, his eyes more reminiscent if anything else Leni thought.

The pressure in the air was still wavering, a clear sign that the military was struggling.

"Al's out there." Edward muttered, biting the inside of his cheek and wincing as a small amount of blood hit his tongue. Edward turned towards the door, "I'm going, just stay here and I'll come back to get you."

It finally hit Leni then, why Edward hadn't gone with Al in the first place, why he had followed them here; he wanted to be able to find them. Leni started forward, her hands clenched by her side in preparation to fight. "I'm coming with you." She stated, taking another step. _After all, what's the good of sitting here doing nothing when I could be helping people?_ She thought, taking another step to bring her alongside her mentor. "I want to help."

Mei didn't hesitate. Hell, she had been so young when she fought against homunculi, corrupt governments and traveled all alone. "Edward," she reached through her waist bag and produce some alkahestry knives, setting them up in a circle in front of her, "Make sure to direct the wounded here, we can push some stress off of the infirmary and it's secluded enough about here I can treat people." She smiled at him encouragingly.

Edward smiled back, nodding and going out the door. "Stay safe Mei." He called, rushing out to face the battle, only this time without alchemy at his side.

Running down the hall Edward called back to Leni, "Stay behind me or close by!" before she could nod she saw his face pale slightly, saw him skid to a stop and actually looked down the hallway. Bodies loomed, some face down, others on their backs, all bloodied and on several guns were drawn but laid uselessly down beside them. Blood pooled through the stone, staining it with the scent of copper and the tell tale redish brown stain of a shortened life. The pressure increased once more and Leni quivered as the wounds in the body opened a bit farther.

"Nolhestry," she murmured.

Edward Elric swallowed the disgusted lump in his throat, knelt over the body and softly collected the discarded pistol that was thinly crusted with blood. _It's them or me,_ he repeated in his head, feeling the warm metal of the gun stick to his hand. _It's them or me_, he repeated, cocking the gun and quelling the rising hesitation in his mind.

"C'mon." Edward rushed forward again, ignoring how the stone made sickening noises under his feet, ignoring the heat that was coming outside from the weapons and alchemy, ignoring the shouts of pain and the call to arms, ignoring the fact that while he was running a few men looked up and gave shouts to cover the alchemist.

Edward ran forward, dodging through the debris and men, struggling to keep focused on where the shots were coming from and ran towards the signs of mineral alchemy.

"Edward!" Leni shrieked, her line of sight between him suddenly disappearing as men swarmed around her, struggling to stand their ground. They were being overrun, and they knew it. Leni fought and struggled for a moment longer before she prepared her own counteroffensive. "Everyone stay still!" she barked, hoping that they wouldn't panic at the slight change in pressure. Nolhestry (not hers) was filling the air around them, signaling that someone was determined to implode the group with all the pressure build up.

Like back in the quiet room she thought about the balance of gasses and air molecules, the pressure all those forces applied, and thought about loosening it, the cuts on her hand began to spread as she kept the pressure from building, helping and hoping that the men would be able to make a stand within the radius of the affected area.

The cuts spread and pulled at the skin, causing her to wince, but nevertheless she continued on, fighting to do her part to help both her mentor and the war.

Edward had looked for Leni, but when he hadn't been able to see her anymore he forced himself to continue on, she was probably okay, she was probably just doing her part. Edward pushed on, his leg beginning to give out as he entered into a clearing, breathing heavy and blinking away the tears that formed in his eyes at the sight of a figure crouched down on the ground.

"Al!" he gasped through the pain and adrenaline, "Alphonse!" he staggered over to the hunched figure, expecting the worse but refusing to entertain even the thought that that might be an injured Al.

"Brother," Alphonse's voice sounded weak, "look…" he held up what he had been crouched over, tears steadily making a track down his sooty face.

Edward held the object, gagging slightly as he took in what it was.

"_You boy's be careful, you hear?" _Teacher's jacket. The white jacket that had almost always been on her person. Edward gently pulled the bloody piece of hair off of the collar and swallowed hard.

"You don't think she's…" Alphonse looked at Ed in fear.

"I don't know Al-" Edward suddenly felt tired, his leg hurt like a sonofabitch, his throat was raw from all the running and now Teacher had been taken.

"But _I _do!" the call sounded gaily from the ledge above, the voice high and excited. "In fact, she say's 'hi'." The brothers attention snapped to the ledge, watching as the man descended roughly.

His scalp was bald and scarred up, blind in one eye and an automail limb hung from a leg port. Edward realized that this was danger in a physical form, this was a predator…

"Do you like my gift?" he asked, cocking his head and staring at them from his good eye. "Ms. Curtis was really pleased when I promised her I'd give it to you." He smiled.

"Where the hell is she you bastard." Edward spoke lowly and dangerously.

"Have to guess." He laughed.

"Tell us." Alphonse readied himself to transmute as Ed picked up the gun.

"Have. To. Guess." The man broke out into a cacophony of laughter, his eye sliding shut for a moment.

Edward aimed quickly and pulled the trigger, recoiling as the sound broke through the thin veil of silence. Only to miss its target. By a long shot.

The man resumed his cackling. "You boy's _are great_!" he laughed, "I'll be spending more time with you two…" he waved and suddenly Edward felt the air become thin, too thin to get any oxygen from. "Well, hopefully." The man cackled and disappeared from Ed's slowly blackening vision. Until everything was gone, except for the horrific sounds of Al's chocked gasps for air; their dying breathes in synch.


	30. Chapter 29: Survival

Chapter 29: Survival

*A/N: sorry for the delay! School is killing me and I don't see it stopping anytime soon! But, here it is! Sorry for the skipping around and excess line breaks, but for some reason this chapter (the end at least) didn't want to tie together and fit. (I blame it on too many plot bunnies hopping around!)

* * *

><p>Leni fought to keep her concentration, fought to keep the thoughts of death from slamming into her brain. Keeping the soldiers safe was the priority, keeping the soldiers from harm so that this could all <em>end<em> was the priority. It was what Karon wanted… what gramps wanted…

"There he is!" the shout sounded, the air becoming denser and harder to manipulate as firearms were pointed towards an individual. Leni looked up, her curiosity finally overpowering her will and looked into the eye of the predator.

"No…" she allowed herself to breathe, fighting the urge to run; to leave everyone on their own. _They've found me…_ "No…" she exhaled again, fighting the urge to attack.

"_Dead people can't catch you, Leni_." Her brother had once said. _"And all of this _will_ end the struggle._" He'd been so positive, so sure about the _thing_.

And now he was dead. And this monstrosity was parading around in all the gory glory that made the Westons proud.

He briefly made eye contact, eye widening in surprise as he finally accepted Leni's presence. With a short, wry smile he cackled, continuing his flight from the battle, leaving Leni and the now shaken soldiers behind.

* * *

><p>Harder to breathe. He knew that his body was getting <em>some <em>oxygen, but not enough to sustain himself on for long… his body was struggling as it was. Edward couldn't keep his eyes or vision clear from tears and blackness. In fact, the only benefit he could see in all this was that his hearing was dying, a fading noise from which he couldn't decipher Al's chocked gasps from the low buzz. And that was a mercy. He wanted to believe that Alphonse, his little brother, was alive; was _not _beside him – that somehow Al had been saved – that miraculously Al's body didn't need as much oxygen as his and that Al could live with this amount flowing into his body – and it was only his gasps that he was mistaking for Al's.

* * *

><p>Mei straightened up, glancing over at the remaining wounded and quickly going back to work. Giving her thoughts back up to the study of tissue and the chemical composition of the body in front of her she continued to do her best, only patching up the worst sections and then passing the injured along to the rest of the doctors; now confident that they wouldn't bleed to death.<p>

She finished up on the man and sent a nod to the two soldiers helping her. "He's done," she murmured, striding over to the final one and beginning the process a new. "C'mon…" she gritted her teeth, feeling the toll of pushing herself.

"Mei Chang?" the voice called, the body beside her quivering.

_Dear Gods, don't be Alphonse. _She thought, biting her lip as she dared to pause to look into the face of the injured. _And not Edward… and not his apprentice… and not-_

Mei looked into amber eyes, looked into them and saw the face of a woman she knew but who's name she couldn't quite recall.

"It's Hawkeye." The woman gave a small smile, wincing as the gash in her arm slowly ceased its bleeding and instead swelled slightly.

"Oh…" it took only a moment for Mei to regain her composure, to remember that this soldier had been close to Ed and Al, that she had been there when they'd fought Father. "Have you seen Alphonse?!" she blurted out, her worry overcoming her.

"No," another small frown. "I thought that they were with you and…" her eyes narrowed suspiciously and she slowly got up. "They went out."

"Yes." Mei looked at the rest of the soldiers, limping down the hallway to the medical room. "I haven't heard back from them." She cast her gaze back to Hawkeye and ignored the fleeting thought in her brain that they were dead.

Riza paused for a moment, unsure for the moment of the right course of action. Part of her wanted to say that they were fine; they'd grown up strong men, had survived every piece of bullshit that the world had thrown at them. The other part, the one that had watched those two grow up around the office and had gone and seen them when they were being patched up, who had fought beside them more times than she could count screamed at her for being so oblivious. That part warned her of something wrong, warned her that this wasn't right.

Getting up Riza stiffly walked out of the small hall, only pausing to make sure that Mei had followed her out.

It didn't need to be said, something didn't feel right.

* * *

><p>Leni let down the Oxygen, allowing everything to even out. There was still a pressure in the air, but not as bad. It was dissipating, failing due to a certain absence, and would probably be gone in about an hour. She could feel her ears ringing, and could hear the sharp yell that forced her blood to run cold.<p>

It sounded like 'yelp' or some other word akin to it and at first she paid no heed to it. When it began to increase in frequency and clarity she began to push through the nonchalant soldiers and move towards the crater, picking up the pace as the word chocked off by itself, and slowly recognizing just _where _the pressure (or lack thereof) had built up.

The two figures lying face down in the center couldn't be anyone else but Alphonse and Edward. Leni sucked in her breath and began to try and refill the air with oxygen, anything to help deter the suffocation. When a third figure staggered down a few feet from her position she began to feel the pressure of oxygen build and build, fueled by two sources.

Reaching the center she crouched down by the first one who was lying face down, quickly turning him on his side and feeling a slight panic fill her.

Blue. Their faces were slowly turning a pale blue, fighting through her weariness, she pumped air into the space about them, practically forcing it into the boys' lungs and not caring who was who.

A hand flew into her periphrial vision, a gasped out 'Help?' coming through the silence.

"Grab him and shut up." She muttered, focusing on keeping oxygen flowing. The bastard… she couldn't stop her seething anger.

The figure did as it was told and slowly Lenni felt the oxygen begin to waver and slowly become dispersed with a small amount of carbon dioxide.

The body was breathing, slowly but surely the body of Edward Elric was taking in air and exhaling its excrements. Leni kept pushing the oxygen into the air, her hand growing hot from the constant pressure of cuts occurring.

"Nolhestry at its finest…" Edward breathed once his lungs had received enough air. As his eyes cleared further he jolted up, breathing harshly as the sight of the second body slowly came into his vision. "Al!" he yelled, scrambling over on his hands and knees to his brother.

"Edward." Alphonse whispered, growing more lucid by the second, "I guess now we really need to find out…" he gave a slight hiccup as his body readjusted to the ever present oxygen.

"Yeah," Ed looked down at the ground, then slowly back to the jacket which lay discarded and bloodied at the center. "Teacher." He murmured, feeling his throat catch.

"Edward?" Leni queried, feeling her hand tense up with pain, "Are you okay?"

"Go figure you two would try to take on the enemy single handedly." Edward felt himself chuckle silently as it hit him that they weren't alone. "And that shot, by god, did you even manage to _hit _him?"

Edward blinked, feeling something in him tighten at the thought that he had not taken down the sonofabitch with his gun, had put not only his own life (because the way he saw it, it wasn't that big of a loss to anyone but Al) but his brothers. And that was unforgivable.

"Who was he." Edward stood shakily, staggering drunkenly over to the jacket and picking it up with a reverence that rivaled a mother with her new child.

"We don't know."

Edward felt disgust in those words, anger towards the military that was causing all this, and despair at the thought that _Teacher _was with the psychopath. "Then find out." He growled, gripping the jacket in a death grip.

Alphonse eased himself up, worry filling his eyes as he stared at his brothers back. Two sets of hands gently pawed at him, worriedly checking to ensure that he wouldn't fall. "I'm fine," he pushed the hands away, standing with only a small amount of hesitation. "Go check on Mei." Alphonse wondered why his voice sounded so cold. "And please Colonel, go check on who that bastard was."

Mustang and Leni stood aghast at Alphonse's demeanor. His voice was cold, his posture rigid, and his eyes held worry for everything at that moment.

"What's happened you two?" Mustang asked, taking a step back towards the base as he heard the 'don't fuck with me' tone.

"Teacher." Al murmured, biting back the string of curses that threatened to pass through his lips. "They've got her…" he walked towards Ed and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

* * *

><p>Leni sat up, blinking at the soft light that emerged under the door. The base had never quieted down since the attack; the soldiers patrolling corridors and fetching supplies for the doctors. Edward and Alphonse had gone to the medical wing to take care of his leg, and Mei had gone to rest, leaving her to go back to her bunk and cover her hand with a pad of gauze that was already becoming blood soaked.<p>

Leni lay back down, trying to ignore the muffled sounds of boots echoing across the hall, trying to ignore the fact that she was in an Amestrian military base when she should be with her peers fighting her country's war.

_But we have to protect it, _her mind whispered; _it's what will win the war._

In the medical ward Edward gritted his teeth against the bone scraping sensations that gripped his leg in waves of sheer agony.

"Relax Ed," Pinako had supplied, "It'll quit."

Had he not been fighting back a scream he would've told Granny _exactly _where she could stuff that metal leg.

As the sensations gently eased to a continuous wave of unpleasant pain he released a shuddering breath and eased his thigh muscles to relax. "I hate that part," he sighed, wincing slightly as the newly repaired gears twisted in synch.

"Well, it has to be done." Pinako watched him for a moment. "I heard about your teacher." She watched as his face darkened. "I'm sorry Ed."

"Yeah…" he swallowed and gave a small smile at her.

"Be careful." She stated, slowly putting her wrenches back where they belonged in her bag.

"Arent I always?" he smirked, slowly flexing his new leg.

Pinako gave a small scoff and smiled back, closing her suitcase with a click and thinking of the road ahead.

"Granny?" he began, slowly dragging himself up and walking stiffly over to her. "C'mon, we'll be fine."

"I hope so." She murmured, giving Ed a small glance and smiling. "I really hope it does."

* * *

><p>Alphonse hesitated to walk down the rest of the hall. Mei had been in a foul mood for about thirty minuets, her mind foggy and tired from the energy she had poured into the wounded, but her body wired from the adrenaline surging through it.<p>

He shook his head; the thought of catching the usually sweet girl in the throws of anger made him knock on a door to his right, hoping that someone (hopefully someone he knew) would be in to keep him from retiring early, from giving in to the urges to sleep.

As the door clicked open he coughed awkwardly as Leni opened the door, her green eyes darting around her nervously.

"You okay?" he asked, cocking his head as she nodded silently, "Today was crazy." He laughed nervously.

"Yeah.." she looked at him. _I should tell them…_ her mind mulled over, _for better or for worse… _ "I heard about your teacher…" she looked down at her bare feet.

"Yup…" Al swallowed the growing lump in his throat and bit his lip. "Ed told you?"

"No," she gave a small, almost sad smile, "I heard the soldiers talking… they are suspicious of me, because of my heritage, but that doesn't stop them from whispering." Leni felt something inside of her break with the truth that she was considered an infiltrator, a person to be feared. _After all, they deserve to know… it was their teacher who was taken._ She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She tried again and managed a fast phrase, "Ineedtotellyoutwosomething."

"Sorry," Alphonse apologized, "Can you repeat that again?"

"I need to tell you guys something important…" Leni swallowed, her mind suddenly snarling, _You'll be the death of it! You'll kill all chance of winning the war! _But she forced herself to look past that aspect. What if it had been Karon? "Come on inside," and she left the door ajar, waiting until Alphonse took a seat on the bed beside her.

* * *

><p>Izumi felt tears leak out of her eyes as she heard the man on the other side of the door cackle, retelling his triumph over the Elric brothers.<p>

"They were flopping like fish out of water there at the end!" he screeched.

"I can imagine, how vicious you've become!" the other laughed shortly. Izumi blinked as a light poured into her dark cell. "And as for you, Mrs. Curtis-" the maniacal man stated, "are you ready to help us yet?"

Izumi lowered her head, refusing to play their stupid little game.

"No?" the man clucked, "But I thought you _wanted _to test out our little theorem?" he gave a short laugh; "After all, you had no problems whatsoever performing human transmutation."

Izumi closed her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself quiet.

_There was a time when she had tried to teach Edward Elric tact. In fact, it was probably the one thing she had _failed _to teach him. _

"_The thing is to be patient, Ed." She chastised, "You can't play into their hands. Let them play into yours, _then _tell them the truth!" Edward had failed; but Alphonse had succeeded. And Izumi had just chuckled, after all, when would the children ever need diplomacy skills? When would they have to worry about being tortured, or blackmailed, or bribed, or captured? _

And Izumi desperately wished that she had taught them more about tact, more about staying the fuck out of things like this.

* * *

><p>Chapter remarks: I only have a couple of little things that I would like to elaborate on: 1. 'gory glory' is so fun to say ten times fast (go on, you know you want to do it). 2. I had to combine the aspects of nolhestry with Mustangs alchemy (we're getting ready to do thermochemistry in my AP chem class) so the aspect of one person putting oxygen into the air and the other helpingpulling carbon dioxide out was just kinda fun to right from a geeky point of view... you know some part of me wants to go write out that equation... hmmm...

Well, hope you enjoyed!


	31. Chapter 30: Studies

Chapter 30: Studies

"Go ahead Leni," Alphonse prodded gently but stiffly, "You can tell me." He could see that she was clearly uncomfortable, the young Cretian was slightly fidgeting in her seat, not meeting his gaze.

"I know who took your teacher…" Leni said, her hands twisting as she continued, "How much do you know about the war?"

"A little bit," Al admitted, "I don't know specifics."

"It started over Nolhestry…" Leni breathed out, "our country's always been threatened by civil uprisings, that's why the Labs decided to perfect our own branch of science." Leni shut her eyes for a moment, breathing in. "They perfected it and began training a group of young boys who would use it for the 'greater good'. My brother was part of the group."

Alphonse blinked and gave a murmured, "I'm sorry."

Leni shook her head and continued on, "It became clear soon that Nolhestry caused a great deal of damage to the user, and posed a greater threat."

"One person could kill a hundred people…" Al muttered, "All that power in hundreds of hands…"

"Our government decided to put an end to the research, the group was disbanded." Leni swallowed the lump in her throat. "The Westons are a group that formed, to keep Nolhestry alive." Leni sighed bitterly, "When they broke off they decided to assassinate all who wanted to use it for peace." Leni narrowed her gaze, staring at the floor vehemently. "There is a formula…" she hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with breaking her long held silence, "I don't know much about it other than it supposedly refines what we know about Nolhestry's application to an art.

Alphonse waited patiently, allowing his mind to travel elsewhere and catalog all the information he had just heard. "And where is the weapon they're searching for?" he asked, fearing that he already knew the answer to that question.

"I don't have it." Leni supplied. Far to quickly for Al to really believe it.

"Well, my past experience with 'secrets' all indicate that 'he who speaks first usually has it' and that villains don't attack military bases for giggles." Alphonse gave a reassuring smile, "You can trust us."

He didn't bring up the fact that finding it would give them more clues to find Teacher, or the fact that people he knew and held as family could very well _die _over this thing. And he sure as hell didn't bring up the fact that his Teacher, the woman who was like a parent to him could possibly be dead over this stupid thing.

Because all of those things were too hard to admit right then and there.

* * *

><p>Edward hobbled down the hall, more than ready to crawl into his bed and sleep until the pain and new stiffness wore off. He had just reached Leni's room when he heard his brothers voice, immediately he recognized the cool tone, the tone that everyone else but him seemed to not notice was a sign of Alphonse loosing his cool.<p>

So Edward being the good and gentle saint that he was decided to open the door and intervene.

"Brother," Alphonse chirped, his face forming into a façade of a smile, "I think I've found our next clue."

Edward silently followed his gaze to Leni, noticing how she fidgeted with every second that passed.

"What Leni?" blunt and to the point. Edward found that he had limited patience anymore; he often supposed that being so near to death had had a part to play in that.

Leni gallantly recited her tale, closely watching Edwards face as he absorbed the information. When she had finished he looked at her, his eyes asking where the formula was.

"I don't know…" Leni whispered, "I lost it."

"Where?" Al, ever the stoic one asked, "Maybe we can go back and-"

"A month before I met you Edward I bumped into a man who was working for a peace corps station. I think he pick pocketed me because when I searched for it, it was gone." Her voice cracked as desperation ran through her mind.

"Any clue who he was?" Edward asked, blinking as he eased himself next to Alphonse and winced at the pulling of his muscles.

"No, he was well dressed and… he had dark hair and eyes…" Leni frowned, her brow furrowed with the memory, "I can't remember what country he came from but…" she licked her lips, "he talked about a desert and a parade in town square a lot."

Alphonse paused, suspicion taking up his thoughts. _"What does Xing look like, Mei?" _And she had replied with promises of grandeur and emperors and that crossing the desert was worth it for the sights alone.

"I'm gonna go check on something…" Alphonse said, standing up, "I'll tell you guys what I find…" he smiled at Edwards face, encouraging, yet wary and exited the room after giving Leni a short wave goodbye.

_Xingeese_… His brain supplied, _all there is to find out now is if anyone from that area was signed up to voulenteer in Creta… _

Edward looked at Leni and gave her a smile. "I think we better progress to actually completing transmutations." He watched her face light up slowly and gestured to the wooden floor. "Draw your array and then we'll transmute."

Diligently Leni drew her array, rechecking all the markings and looking up at Edward when she was finished.

"I want you to make a bird," he said, wincing as the gears grinded together for the umpteenth time. "Place your hands on the array and think about forming a bird statue from the floor." He leaned back, "just think about what has to happen at a molecular level; like I'm sure you do for Nolhestry."

Her face darkened with thoughts of molecules and concentration, and soon a faint glowing light began to emerge, softly wrapping around the floor and pulling up bits that formed a half - shapen bird statue.

Edward blinked, his gaze now more reminiscent than instructing, his fingers twitching as he remembered the feel and wonder of transmuting, of watching his work come together.

He didn't realize that she'd completed it until she gently coughed. With a final glance at the unshapen object he smirked and gave an assignment.

"I'm gonna be gone for a while probably, so while I am – and while your staying here-" he added, seeing the look on her face, "I want you to perfect this…" he slowly stood and left to exit, "I expect it to be perfect when I get back!" with a mock glare he left, limping his way back to his bed and away from the scene that reminded him of what he'd gladly lost.

Leni didn't waste time, dragging herself into her bed and relaxing her body until she felt that she had melted into the bed itself. Somewhere, in the throws of weariness and dreams she could almost hear the formulas recital, the one that _he_ had always been striving to remember. _Like hell I'm gonna stay behind! _She thought vehemently and quickly was pulled into a dreamless, light sleep.

* * *

><p>Edward felt the sunlight hit his face before he actually determined what it was.<p>

The panda biting his nose ferociously was enough of a distraction.

"Gahh!" he yelped, sitting up sharply and jerking the panda off of his nose. "What the-"

"Good morning Edward!" he glanced over to see Mei Chang brightly greeting him, paying no attention to the panda that was now attempting to eat his fingers.

"Morning?" he muttered, still feeling the pull to go back to sleep.

"Are you ready?" the hope was just flinging off of her.

"No." he muttered, finally feeling the impact of fully waking up.

"C'mon!" Mei pouted, "You're going to learn Alkahestry!"

Edward felt his eyes open the slightest bit further. "Huh?" he cocked his head. Not after all these years…. Surely she was pulling his leg…

"You." She began, treating him like an infant, "Are. Going. To. Learn. Alkahestry." She smirked as it dawned on him, then added: "With. Your. Brother."

With this said she quickly grabbed his hand, yanking him up and smiling encouragingly. "C'mon! Alphonse is already waiting!"

Suddenly Edward was grateful that he had slept in his traveling clothes, happy that it wasn't so cold down in Creta. And grateful to Mei for attempting to teach him alkahestry.

Walking down the dim hall guided by Mei Edward felt something stir in him. A hope that he was refusing to acknowledge until it was in his hands.

* * *

><p>*Sorry this chapters so short, I'm planning on dedicating an entire chapter to Ed learning alkahestry, cause face it: that deserves a whole chapter. ;)<p> 


	32. Chapter 31: Alkahestry

Chapter 31: Alkahestry

When Edward first stepped into Mei's room he had to smile at the look of frustration on Al's face.

"Are you feeling the Dragon's Pulse?" Mei cocked an eyebrow skeptically.

"Yes already!" he growled, fighting to start the reaction. Mei scoffed, rolling her eyes.

She had grown up, Edward realized, and not just in height, but in attitude to. She was more reserved, more cunning, and more tactful than the little girl that had battled alongside them.

She gave a short smile to Edward and handed him five knives, ones that he recognized as her main tool. "Here," she placed them in his hands, sweetly gesturing to him to take a seat next to his brother. Edward did, settling down into a comfortable position then watching as she quietly began to draw the array.

"Do you still remember about the Dragons Pulse?" she asked, smiling as Ed nodded. "Then this is the array." Briefly she went into detail about the circle representing the world and the lines representing the parts, but Ed's brain was fogged over with both hope and sleep and thus only fully comprehending only about a half of what she was saying.

With a light thunk the knives he was holding dropped to the floor, Ed picked one up and gently stuck it into wood, right at the point where the end of the line intersected with the circle. With each knife placed a new meaning began to take over this. When he'd first learned how to draw array's it had been like learning a new word, with each successful drawing a new word popped into his head, and gave him a whole new dictionary.

"Okay," he breathed, blinking as a new word engraved itself in his long lost, and perhaps recently re-found dictionary.

"Think of the world's movement, think of everything flowing together-"

"All is one, one is all…" he murmured, closing his eyes and floating away from the stares and silent encouragements. He placed his hands alongside the circle, thinking of all the things that symbolized the world.

A few minuets passed before he realized that nothing had happened. A part of him reasoned that he knew this would happen, his portal was gone. And that was a finality and sentence all in its own right.

"Here," Mei smiled confidently, "Try thinking of a memory that gives you power, a memory that symbolizes how you feel about the world, how it changed your own being."

Edward nodded in unison with Al, each placed their hands next to their array and closed their eyes in thought. Edwards memory drifted towards the first transmutation he had ever done. The first time he'd felt it flow through him and result in something that had been tangible in both shape and design and not merely a shadow of something that possibly could be.

_Teacher had said that he needed to refine his horse (her reason being something like self control.) Al and he both had grumbled and complained about the simple task, then complied with her threats dripping off of her tongue. With his hands firmly planted on the finished array Ed closed his eyes and imagined his horse, imagined not the farm horses of Rizenbool that were bulky, built for work and could be downright nasty at the end of the day (as a mare had one time chased him and Al out of her pasture during feeding time); but the sleek, graceful ones that were often ridden on the outskirts of Dublith. _

_Edward imagined the glossy coat, how it covered the long, sturdy legs that shot off like pistons whenever the horse trotted and cantered and how they supported the long, lean body, built not for work but for speed. How the muscles quivered with each slight movement of the rider and how they ran with their heads streamlined out and eyes alert, their nostrils flaring at every and anything that might spook them. With these thoughts in mind he pushed his energy into the circle and imagined the horse forming and rearing, displaying his nature to the world. When Ed had opened his eyes it was as he felt the residual energy leave and finish the object. Upon fully opening his eyes Edward gave a large smile as he saw the horse, formed in the center of the circle and detailed in every way, including the small tacky details of spikes on the hoofs. _

_It had been the solid proof of the aspect that energy traveled in a circle. The reason that one is all and all is one. _

It wasn't alchemy; but it was close. Edward felt the energy leave him and flow through the knives. He felt the molecules rearranging and forming something, anything. He was too swept up in the simple feeling and notion of this part of him occurring again. The only noticeable difference he could find in alkahestry was that the materials were organic. Nitrogen, Carbon, oxygen; all these and more became his fuel, their molecules striving to bond to one another, and their forces holding each other together long enough that Edward could feel each thread forming in the endless web.

As soon as it had begun it stopped and Edward felt a part of him sink. Not daring to open his eyes he winced as he heard Mei squeak.

"Edward…" he felt her gently touch her shoulder and shake him, "_Look_." He opened his eyes and noticed the horse. Rudimentary and small, lacking any artistic creativity it stood rearing in the center, a hoof almost touching a knife.

"Brother…" Alphonse's eyes were shining. Edward smiled at him gently, staring at his brothers first attempt as well. A cow, more refined than his attempt sat inside his brothers circle, its head up and mouth mooing in what Ed would classify as 'satisfaction'. Satisfaction that something had gone right, that something had been given back to him.

"Al, Mei…" Edward felt his voice crack as he tried to express his gratitude, his relief that he still had something akin to alchemy. He couldn't help the smile, nor the laugh that overcame him, infecting the other two as well.

For once, everything was aligning… slowly reverting back to normal, back to the circular pattern that made up life and alchemy.

* * *

><p>AN: what can I say? I've been busy, papers to write... other stories neglected... oh well. Oh, because I don't know when my next update may be I would like to wish everyone a happy New Year and Holidays!


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